Here are some upcoming SC road construction projects to keep an eye out for in Beaufort County
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Beaufort County Traffic
As Beaufort county’s population has grown in recent years, bringing more vehicles to the roads, the diverse mix of drivers are contributing to the increase in traffic volume at intersections.
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If there is a leading cause of suburban aggravation in Beaufort County, traffic congestion and delays due to road construction would be at the top of the list.
The Lowcountry is no stranger to visitors and traffic of all forms. With its beautiful beaches, restaurants galore and rich history, the area sees all sorts of traffic coming in and out.
With a bustling community, rapidly growing population base of year-round residents and frequent visitors, road construction is a necessary headache to keep up with the flow of cars.
All of these upcoming projects listed below were clarified with the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Even though these were confirmed, construction timelines can often be delayed or changed due to outside factors like labor, funding and weather.
No matter if you live in the area or are planning to visit, here is a rundown of some upcoming road construction projects to keep an eye out for.
2025 Pavement Improvement Program
This pavement program helps to reconstruct and rehabilitate major roads and routes across the state of South Carolina. The roads they selected for improvement are based on clear, objective criteria to ensure fairness and focus on the most critical need, according to the SCDOT.
Why is this project needed?
The roads selected for this project are chosen through a ranking process from the SCDOT. This is the eighth year of the pavement improvement program and it adds another 727 miles of roadway to the more than 8,800 miles of ongoing road work.
For Beaufort County, the selected stretch of road is 3 miles on US 278, Fording Island Road, from mile point 7 to mile point 11.
Timeline:
Timeline is not yet available.
Funding:
According to the SCDOT, states must address pavements to support the performance report with the Transportation Asset Management Plan of the Federal Highway Administration.
SCDOT added $719 million to its existing pavement improvement fund, bringing the total investment to over $4.3 billion.
Based on this project webpage, federal funds are distributed county by county to ensure that every county of the state is guaranteed paving funds.
Intersection improvements for Laurel Bay Road and Stanley Farm Road
This project is proposed to change the intersection between Laurel Bay Rd. and Stanley Farm Rd. to a single-lane roundabout.
Why is this project needed?
This intersection was selected for improvement through the Highway Safety Improvement Program. This program uses driver data to identify locations with high crash rates or safety issues.
The purpose of the project is to construct a roundabout, as they are a safer intersection configuration because drivers go at slower speeds and are limited to counterclockwise-only vehicle movement.
Overall, the roundabout design reduces the total number and overall severity of vehicle-to-vehicle conflict points, which is any point where the paths of two vehicles diverge, merge or cross paths.
Roundabouts result in a 75% reduction in accidents, according to the SCDOT.
The SCDOT states in South Carolina, total crashes are reduced by 66% and injury and fatal crashes are reduced by 79% with the installation of roundabouts at high-crash intersections.
Timeline:
This project is anticipated to begin in early 2026 and will take 18 months to complete.
Funding:
This project is supported by federal funds through the Highway Safety Improvement Program and this project has a $2.5 million estimated construction cost.
I-95 Improvements
This project, formerly named the I-95 widening, is intended to improve capacity, mobility and operations along a 13-mile stretch of the interstate. The entire proposed project will extend from US 278, at Exit 8, to SC 336 at Exit 21.
Why is this project needed?
According to the SCDOT, with the current and anticipated growth for the Lowcountry, more residents and economic opportunities equals more traffic. This, in turn, calls for road improvements to keep up.
The purpose of this project is to provide more space and adequate mobility for drivers along these areas of I-95.
This project has been in the works for a while now, but the SCDOT projects that these improvements will reduce traffic delays and congestion through 2050.
First phase of the project
On Jan. 30, the SCDOT held a public meeting for residents to discuss the plans to expand 13 miles of I-95 that run through Jasper County.
This is the first phase of the entire I-95 project and will begin 1 mile past the Georgia state line continuing to mile marker 9 which sits just north of US 278.
Timeline:
The SCDOT states that this project will not break ground until early 2027, but the design and planning will continue to be updated and communicated into the spring of 2026.
The second segment of this project will eventually overhaul the entire 200-mile length of the interstate that runs from North Carolina to Georgia, with a timeline still in the works.
Funding:
According to previous reporting on this project, SCDOT intends to put the project out for bid in early 2025. The total project cost is estimated at around $163 million.
