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Safety Stand Down in Oconee
In observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week, SCDOT offices across the state participated in safety stand downs. Get a close-up look at crews in Oconee County, who performed safety tests on equipment, practiced work zone traffic management procedures, and discussed the importance of focusing on safety every day.
Watch the video here.
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Restoring Hunting Creek in Newberry County
For several years, SCDOT has been working to restore the Hunting Creek Mitigation Bank in Newberry County. Learn about the agency's work to improve this land and ready it to become a part of the Sumter National Forest.
Click here to watch the video.
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Making Big Moves
The Oversize and Overweight Permit Department at SCDOT arranges safe passage of large loads that travel across South Carolina. Here, a 900,000 pound load traveling on a trailer more than 300 feet long and 22 feet wide makes its way from the Port of Charleston to the Upstate along a selected route to ensure safe passage.
Click here to watch the video.
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Workers Memorial Ceremony held to honor memory of men and women who gave their lives in service to SCDOT
The South Carolina Department of Transportation held a ceremony on Friday, April 28, to honor the men and women who have given their lives in service to SCDOT and the state of South Carolina.
The SCDOT Workers Memorial ceremony took place at 10 a.m. at SCDOT Headquarters in Columbia in front of the SCDOT Workers Memorial wall, which was unveiled in 2018. During this year's ceremony, the name of SCDOT Richland Maintenance employee Dennis Moore, who died while performing his duties on August 24, 2022, was added to the wall.
The Memorial honors SCDOT employees, dating back to the 1920s, killed while working on the highways, as well as those who died on the job of natural causes. Secretary of Transportation Christy A. Hall, P.E. provided remarks and SCDOT leaders read aloud the names of all workers listed on the wall.
Watch the 2023 Workers Memorial Ceremony.
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In the Rearview: I-77 Bridge Rehab near Columbia complete
Over the course of 3 weeks, SCDOT rehabilitated 17 bridges on Interstate 77 just outside downtown Columbia. But the success of this accelerated, innovative project exceeded the short timeline and construction zone.
Click here to watch the video.
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Sights of the District 4 RoadEO Competition
Each spring, SCDOT equipment operators throughout the state enter their district RoadEO competitions. These events are a chance for employees to gain or improve equipment operating skills, practice safe equipment use, build team rapport, and meet colleagues throughout their district.
Click here to watch the video.
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SCDOT Crews make on-ramp bridge repairs to I-95 Exit 115 in Clarendon County
After the exit was damaged during a vehicle crash last December, SCDOT crews are making repairs to the Interstate 95 Exit 115 on-ramp bridge in Clarendon County. Repairs are expected to be complete by mid-May.
Watch the video here.
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Engineers Conference Held in Columbia
On April 11 and 12, 2023, SCDOT and Clemson University hosted the South Carolina Highway Engineers Conference in Columbia.
The conference is held annually to bring together SCDOT engineers, local governments, disadvantaged business enterprises, and industry partners to discuss updates and relevant topics faced in the transportation industry, and to receive continuing education.
Topics for this year’s conference included legislative updates as well as updates from both the Federal Highway Administration and SCDOT, and introduced organizational changes such as the Bridge Program and Public Engagement.
The conference provided 31 continuing education sessions, covering a range of topics such as Lowcountry Rapid Transit, the I-385 pedestrian bridge, the Carolina Crossroads project, safety initiatives, accelerated bridge replacements, bridge load ratings, grant programs, prompt pavement updates, an Interstate program update, and South Carolina’s implementation of the NEVI plan for electric vehicle charging.
Attendees, save the date for next year’s conference: March 26 and 27, 2024.
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Upstate Bridge Replacement Update
As part of SCDOT's Strategic 10 Year Plan, the agency is rehabilitating or replacing aging bridges across the state. Two new Pickens County bridges are replacing older, load-restricted ones.
Top right: Hunts Bridge over Shoal Creek in Pickens County was recently replaced. The new bridge was finished in April 2023.
Bottom right: A new bridge on Hester Store Road over Doddies Creek in Pickens County is under construction and will be finished in summer 2023.
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Bridge Rehab on I-95 Near Florence-Dillon County Line Completed Early
Bridge rehabilitation on Interstate 95 over Pocossin Swamp near the Florence-Dillon county line was completed four days early. The bridges cross over Pocossin Swamp between SC-327 and SC-38. The project included removing old concrete, deck patching, constructing a latex concrete service, and sealing bridge joints. The one-lane closure was supposed to last from April 10 to 24. Instead it ended on April 20.
Construction was planned so it could be done by closing only one lane at a time. South Carolina Highway Patrol was on site as well as 24-hour wrecker service to accommodate traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion near the work zone.
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$51 Million Grant Boosts SCDOT’s Statewide Bridge Initiative
Secretary Hall welcomed Federal Highway Administration Administrator Shailen Bhatt to South Carolina on April 13 to celebrate SCDOT’s receipt of a $51.2 million grant that will help replace six weight-restricted bridges in Union County. These are some of the hundreds of aging bridges SCDOT is working to rehabilitate or replace, with 274 bridges complete or underway since 2017. Improving bridges now and in the future to ensure the free movement of people, goods, and agriculture is a top priority of SCDOT's 10-Year Plan.
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County Transportation Committees Meet
Each of South Carolina’s 46 counties has a County Transportation Committee (CTC) that locally selects road projects to meet local needs. This local-state partnership started in the 1940s and has helped pave thousands of miles of road across South Carolina. On April 5, CTC members from across South Carolina met to learn, share ideas and collaborate in their work to improve South Carolina’s transportation system. To learn more about CTCs, visit this website.
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Interstate 77, the fifth of the state’s five interstate highways, was not authorized for South Carolina until late 1968, when Congress increased the original 41,000-mile interstate system by 1,500 miles. In South Carolina, it extends from the North Carolina line to Columbia.
Also nearing completion, and perhaps opened to traffic by the time this magazine is published, is a 1.2-mile section of I-77 from its present southern end at S.C. 277 (The Northeastern Freeway) southerly to U.S. 1 (Two Notch Road) just east of I-20. This new section will allow traffic in the northeastern portion of Columbia direct access to I-77. The section was built ……under a $4,583,428 contract awarded in July 1979. The contract included grading, drainage and paving, concrete structural steel overpass bridges (totaling 819 feet) over Edgewater Drive and Little Jackson Creek.
Source: August 1981 issue of Carolina Highways, a publication of the South Carolina Highway Department
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Jeffrey Terry named Director of Maintenance
Jeffrey Terry, P.E. has served the South Carolina Department of Transportation in a variety of roles for more than 20 years, most recently serving as the District Seven Engineering Administrator. Terry is originally from Seneca, South Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University. Terry and his wife Katya reside in Edgefield, South Carolina. They have two sons.
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Brent Dillon named Director of Traffic Engineering
Brent Dillon, P.E. started his career with the South Carolina Department of Transportation in 1993, holding a variety of positions in traffic operations, traffic safety and design. Dillon served as the State Traffic Design Engineer, and most recently as the Interim Director of Traffic Engineering. Dillon is from Springfield, Virginia and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University. Dillon and his wife Marilyn reside in Northeast Columbia and have three children.
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Brian Heape named Interim District Engineering Administrator in District 7
Brian Heape, P.E. started his career with the South Carolina Department of Transportation in 2006. Heape has served in a variety of roles, most recently as the District Construction Engineer. Heape is from Varnville, South Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The Citadel. Heape and his wife Amber reside in Branchville and have two children.
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Brought to you by... Public Engagement
We're happy to bring you the Connector e-Edition each month. We work on many other projects in cooperation with folks throughout SCDOT. Reach us at media@scdot.org.
Watch the video here.
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Then and Now: Public Service Recognition Week
Public service has existed in various parts of the world for over 4,000 years – dating back to the time of the emperors. In its early stages, public service was considered a moral obligation and duty that citizens were simply expected to carry out.
During the assembling and signing of the Constitution of the United States of America, the foundations of public service were laid in the United States. The idea of public service quickly developed into institutions and departments that would deliver services and facilities sponsored by the government.
Public Service Recognition Week was first introduced by President Ronald Reagan in 1985. Today, mayors, governors, agency leaders, communities and public service organizations throughout the country display appreciation to government employees by issuing proclamations, hosting celebrations and sharing stories of greatness in public service.
In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster has issued a proclamation recognizing May 7-13, 2023, Public Service Recognition Week. This is a time set aside to honor South Carolina’s public servants for the invaluable work they provide to help improve the quality of life for everyone in the Palmetto State.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation is happy to join in the celebration - honoring and recognizing the hard work and dedication of our very own employees. The SCDOT team provides adequate, safe and efficient transportation services to the citizens of South Carolina and all others passing through our great state.
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SCDOT Employee Feature:
Off the Clock with Merritt Vann
During the work week, Merritt Vann is SCDOT Quality Program Manager in the Construction Office. But in his spare time, he’s an actor with an impressive list of roles on TV, film and commercials.
Watch the video here.
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