Improving Roads Statewide: Summer Paving Season in Full Swing | | |
In May, the SCDOT commission approved an additional $719 million in pavement investments that has added 816 miles of new paving projects across South Carolina.
This funding is in addition to the $5.3 billion already committed to improving roads, which has led to the resurfacing of 10,000 miles of roadway across the state since we launched our 10-Year-Plan in 2017.
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SCDOT, City of Greenville Cut Ribbon on Renovated Church Street Bridge | |
On June 15, leaders from SCDOT and the city of Greenville gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony to reopen the newly renovated Church Street bridge to traffic!
Serving as a vital connector through Greenville, the new bridge now has wider sidewalks, new overhead lights, and enhanced barriers. And with the installation of a new pedestrian stairway connection to McBee Street, the bridge will now be a safer travel option for more than just drivers.
The project also included a resurfacing of the bridge deck and other repairs to the original structure that will serve motorists for decades to come.
Although the bridge has reopened to traffic, a few other enhancements to the bridge project are being completed. Those include landscaping, green space installation and new lights along the bridge wall for pedestrians. The full project is scheduled for completion by the end of July.
| | Safer Streets in Sumter: Addressing Concerns on US 521 near Rembert | | |
SCDOT is tackling safety concerns on a dangerous stretch of 6.3 miles of rural highway in Sumter County to prevent run-off-the-road crashes and save lives.
Work is now underway on US 521 near the community of Rembert, a busy route serving as a primary connector for drivers and freight traffic between Sumter and Camden, that sees approximately 7,700 vehicles per day.
Over a five-year period, this corridor experienced 12 fatal and serious injury crashes, leading our Traffic Safety Office to select the route for needed safety improvements.
To keep vehicles on the road, SCDOT is implementing targeted engineering solutions: shoulder improvements, wider and brighter pavement markings, rumble strips, improved clear zones, and additional guardrails.
Additionally, speed limits will taper down to 35 MPH within community limits and transverse rumble strips will be installed on the pavement, providing motorists with an audible warning to slow down as they approach.
This safety project is anticipated to be completed by early summer 2027.
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Safer Streets in Anderson County through
Linley Park Road Diet Project
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Crews have been working on 2-mile road diet project on US 76 from North Main Street to Bleckley Street in Anderson County around Linley Park.
The area sees significant vehicle, pedestrian, and cyclist traffic, and in order to make safe streets for everyone, SCDOT traffic engineers have developed a new roadway design.
Nearing completion, the project went from 4 lanes to one lane in each direction to accommodate added bike lanes and on-street parking for Linley Park and a center-turn lane in some areas or a designated left turn lane.
Overnight work has been ongoing but final touches are expected to be in place within the next month. SCDOT asks for continued patience and caution as crews work to complete this project.
| | Upgrades in the Upstate: Improving Travel on US 123 in Pickens County | | |
Crews have made significant progress on the US 123 bridge in Pickens County, a major connector for I-85. The bridge is one of four in the Upstate seeing updates to improve load restrictions, safety, and traffic flow.
Crews have set the first span and are working to have the bridge construction completed by August. Traffic is expected to be shifted onto the new structure by late fall.
While passing through the area, please slow down, watch out for crews working, and give them enough space to work safely.
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Improving the Drive on McConnells Highway
in York County
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Crews are nearing completion of a four-mile roadway improvement project on McConnells Highway in York County.
The road is being widened and repaved to provide a smooth driving surface for years to come. Safety upgrades, including new pavement markings, rumble strips, and guardrails will help improve safety for drivers.
This route was identified in need of improvements through SCDOT’s Pavement Improvement Program and is expected to be completed by late July 2026.
| | Intersection Realignment, Improvement Project Underway in Marion County | | |
Crews are actively working to improve safety at the intersection of Shannon Road and Foxboro Road, just south of the City of Marion, in Marion County.
The scope of the project includes realigning Foxboro Road, eliminating a yield, and removing a stop sign to turn this intersection into a more traditional cross intersection.
The project is expected to be complete by the end of August.
| | Preparing for the Storm: Successful Lane Reversal Exercise in Berkeley County | | |
On June 10th, SCDOT and SCDPS held their yearly lane reversal exercise across the state, a drill that simulates the conditions of reversing traffic in the event a mandatory evacuation order is given by the Governor.
The exercise serves as emergency response training before the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season and allows both SCDOT and SCDPS to ensure that plans to move traffic away from the coast during a major storm can be executed as efficiently and professionally as possible.
"Making sure people that who are in positions now understand the tasks that are at hand and what they’re responsible for is very important,” said South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. Nick Pye, who was stationed on I-26 in Berkeley County on the day of the exercise.
During the drill, SCDOT ensured that all evacuation route signage across the state was in place and crews were positioned in the correct areas to reverse traffic on these major routes after a mandatory evacuation order: I-26, US 278, US 21, US 501 and SC-544.
“We want the public to have the utmost confidence that, if there is a real event, we are prepared to handle it to move them and their family to a point of safety,” said Mike Bowman, SCDOT Traffic Engineering Director.
Through training alongside law enforcement partners, the drill helps both new and veteran employees of both state agencies be fully prepared to help South Carolina weather the next storm.
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Building Better Bridges on US 301 in Orangeburg County | |
In Orangeburg, otherwise known as "Garden City," a new set of bridges are beginning to blossom.
On US 301, SCDOT contractors are in the middle of a project to replace the northbound and southbound bridges over the North Edisto River. Lyle Davis, the District Construction Engineer for District 7, says the much-needed replacement of the aging bridges will benefit commuters and the local community alike.
On average, more than 28,000 vehicles cross over the North Edisto Bridges on US 301 every day. Between drivers who rely on the bridges to get to and from home every day and the truck traffic using the roadway to carry commerce across the state, the new bridges will service the area for many years to come.
The project is on schedule to be completed by the end of the year.
| Celebrating 30 Years of SHEP: South Carolina Drivers' Highway Assistance Resource | | |
Pictured above, four of the first SHEP employees.
From left to right: James Williams, Verno Kelley, Brian O'Cain and Michael Bookman.
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In 1996, the first team for the State Highway Emergency Program (SHEP) was created as part of SCDOT's effort to provide drivers with free roadside assistance when dealing with an emergency on our state's major highways.
Since its creation, SHEP employees have slowly begun serving more drivers across South Carolina. They now provide assistance in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill and Upstate I-85.
Over the last 30 years, SHEP employees have responded to tens of thousands of incidents leading to hundreds of thousands of drivers helped across the state.
No matter the season, SHEP is available to any and all drivers experiencing emergencies on the road, from mechanical problems to traffic control. Drivers in need of SHEP assistance can reach them by dialing *HP (*47).
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This picture of Greenville's Church Street bridge was taken in 1960, shortly after its construction completed in 1959.
The bridge was built during a time when the city of Greenville was seeing rapid growth and traveling by car was becoming more common. The four-lane bridge, carrying traffic over McBee Avenue and East Broad Street, was designed to let cars pass over the city's grid and move quickly from one side of town to another.
When the project to rehabilitate the bridge moved forward in 2021, there were on average 26,300 vehicles crossing the bridge every day. By 2039, the number of vehicles using the bridge every day is predicted to be more than 38,000.
| | Pictured above: SCDOT joined local and state officials for a groundbreaking ceremony of the Columbia Avenue Corridor Improvement Project in Chapin. Work will soon be underway, led by McClam & Associates, Inc., the lead contractor for this project. | | | | | |
