Through Snow and Ice, SCDOT Teams Delivered for South Carolina

Winter Storms Fern and Gianna brought significant snow and ice to South Carolina, and SCDOT was ready to meet these challenges head-on.

With more than 3,000 staff responding, 1,200 pieces of equipment, and crews working 24/7 across the state, SCDOT kept our interstates and primary routes clear and open to traffic.

To every employee who spent hours away from home mixing brine and spreading salt along the interstates, coordinating supplies and resources, and sharing our messages to the public, we thank you!

Safety Improvements and Congestion Relief: Columbia Avenue Widening Project in Chapin

Major roadway improvements are coming to the Columbia Avenue corridor and downtown Chapin, aimed at improving safety, easing congestion, and supporting continued community growth. The project will deliver two new roadways, a new roundabout, additional travel lanes, and enhanced pedestrian features.

The new roads and added lanes introduce more options for drivers trying to get to Amicks Ferry Road, and those travelling around Chapin High School. SCDOT also plans to create more sidewalks and landscaped medians as part of this downtown improvement project.

Construction is expected to begin this spring and continue until 2029. Please remain patient and cautious as crews work in and around downtown Chapin.

Innovative Pipelining Technique Keeps Traffic Moving on US 76 in Newberry County

In January, SCDOT and its partners completed a pipelining project on US 76 in Newberry County.

Crews developed a repair plan that uses a technique called thermoforming. This process involves using steam to inflate a plastic PVC liner and then molding it to the shape of the pipe.

This approach prevented crews from having to fully close the road in order to make repairs.

Church Street Bridge in Greenville Hits Halfway Mark in Project Timeline

SCDOT continues rehabilitation work on the Church Street bridge over East Broad Street in downtown Greenville. Nearly a year into the renovation, crews have replaced the bridge's bearings and are constructing new sidewalks. Work is currently progressing on on the west side, in phase three of four total phases.

To accommodate increased traffic in the area due to the 2026 NCAA March Madness tournament, construction will pause and the bridge will temporarily fully reopen for full traffic access. After the tournament, construction will resume.

Beginning May 1, the bridge will close completely for six weeks. During this closure, crews will resurface the deck using hydro demolition, install new lighting, and complete pedestrian improvements, including a nine-foot-wide sidewalk, replaced stair system with access to McBee Street, and updated railings.

The full rehabilitation is scheduled for completion later this summer.

US 1 Project Balances Roadway Safety and Wildlife Protection in Chesterfield County

SCDOT recently completed a series of roadway improvements along US 1 in Chesterfield County. The project features three new bridges, enhanced safety features, and a design that safeguards both drivers and the surrounding forest.

Located between the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge and the Sand Hills State Forest, the project required close coordination with environmental partners to minimize impacts. To protect the habitat of an endangered woodpecker that calls the forest home, crews used staged construction methods to reduce the footprint and limit tree removal.

In addition to new bridge structures, the project delivered wider shoulders, updated guardrails, rumble strips, and fresh pavement markings to improve safety for drivers traveling through the corridor.

SCDOT Rural Road Safety Program Cuts Fatal and Serious Crashes Across South Carolina

SCDOT is committed to making improvements to rural routes throughout the state. Since last year, work has been underway on a rural road safety project along an 8-mile stretch of SC 61 in Colleton County.

SCDOT's Rural Road Safety Program has upgraded more than 1,200 miles of rural routes across the state since 2017. These projects and upgrades have resulted in a 30 percent decrease in fatal and serious injury crashes and a 54 percent decrease in fatal and serious roadway departure crashes.

What may seem like small safety improvements, such as upgraded guardrails, rumble strips, and wider shoulders, really help save lives.

From Emergency Demolition to New Construction: Old Vaucluse Bridge Project Moving Ahead

SCDOT is fast-tracking the Old Vaucluse Road bridge replacement project in Aiken County.

After the bridge was damaged beyond repair last June, SCDOT and our contracting partners quickly demolished the bridge, made pavement repairs to I-20, and reopened the interstate in roughly 36 hours.

The new bridge structure will be wider and include additional safety upgrades, bringing the bridge up to current bridge construction standards.

Currently, crews are focused on bridge foundation work, with the project scheduled to be completed by the end of May this year.

Presenting the SCDOT LEAD Class of 2026

Front row, from left: Archit Patel, Herbert Latten, Brooke Andrews, Marla Watson, Ashleigh Sandel, N’Katha Simmons, John Rosado, Darren Celorier, Sean Futch.

Back row, from left: Brian Hodges, Guillermo Espinosa Gonzalez, Shawn Buchanan, Timothy Parker, Robert Giddens, Travis Driggers, Ed Hunt, Drew Stokes.

Congratulations to the newest LEAD Class for taking on the challenge. LEAD is a year-long intensive study of all SCDOT divisions and is designed to develop future leaders.

Click here for more information on the members of the LEAD Class of 2026.

Pictured here in 1950 is the original steel truss bridge on SC 45 over the Diversion Canal in Berkeley County. Built in 1941 as part of a Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie hydroelectric project, this steel truss structure spanned the canal for nearly 70 years.

This bridge was replaced in 2007 with a modern bridge structure. The new bridge was constructed using concrete girders, no steel components. It spans 145 feet and holds nearly 4,000 vehicles each day.