These major SC interstates will be widened with millions in COVID cash
The South Carolina agency responsible for road construction on highways is in line to get $453 million in federal COVID-19 relief after the General Assembly voted to give the S.C. Department of Transportation more resources.
How will the South Carolina Department of Transportation spend the influx of money?
The agency’s first priority is widening Interstate 26 to three lanes in each direction between Columbia and Charleston, which does not include the stretch of the highway coined “Malfunction Junction.” The COVID-19 aid will help the transportation department speed up the project up by six years, the agency said.
The first part of the project from Jedburg to state Route 27 is planned to start this summer, said state Transportation Secretary Christy Hall.
“Without the one-time infusion of funding, we expect that the I-26 project will be spread out until 2035 in order for us to be able to cash flow it with our state and federal funding,” Hall wrote in an email to The State.
The project is estimated to cost $360 million to complete over six years. Had the project been spread out over 13 years as originally planned, officials were looking at a $1.3 billion price tag.
Any remaining COVID-19 money will go toward widening 33 miles of Interstate 95, north of the Georgia border.
Georgia’s I-95 is three lanes in each direction, but goes to two lanes heading into South Carolina. It’s led to traffic back ups for drivers north on the highway.
Spending $200 million now would speed up the project by two to three years, instead of spending $935 million over nine years, the agency said.
The I-95 and I-26 projects were deemed high priorities in 2018, and the agency has been planning and developing the projects ever since.
The transportation department also is in line to get an additional $250 million a year for five years in federal money through the $1 trillion federal infrastructure bill signed last year to improve highways, bridges and expand broadband internet. The agency asked lawmakers this year to spend an additional $120 million a year to match the new federal infrastructure dollars coming in.
Money from the federal aid highway program would go toward improving road safety, completing paving work already planned, and to help with projects, including Columbia’s Malfunction Junction.
“It will make a difference in the network,” Hall said.
What will happen to I-73?
Gov. Henry McMaster wants lawmakers to spend $300 million this year to start building Interstate 73, from I-95 to Myrtle Beach.
Hall said it’s up to the General Assembly to specifically spend money for that project.
House budget writers did not include money for I-73 in the $13 billion proposed spending plan set for debate this month.
Here’s how SC DOT wants to spend federal infrastructure cash:
▪ $100 million, for road projects to address urban congestion and help rural economic development
▪ $69 million, on bridges
▪ $47 million, for paving work
▪ $36 million, for transportation systems management and operations
▪ $30 million, on interstate work
▪ $26 million, for rest area upgrades
▪ $21 million, for safety work
▪ $15 million, for drainage work
▪ $13 million, for electric vehicle infrastructure
▪ $8 million, for planning
▪ $2 million, for transportation alternatives, such as sidewalks
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 11:47 AM with the headline "These major SC interstates will be widened with millions in COVID cash."
