Building for What's Next With Major Projects Across the State | | |
It's no secret that South Carolina is growing fast, and SCDOT is building for what's next.
Major construction projects are underway across the state, from Carolina Crossroads in the Midlands to improvements along I-85 and I-95.
Together, these projects are helping create a safer, more reliable transportation system that’s ready for the drivers of tomorrow.
| | Miller Road Bridge Replacement in Sumter County Nearing Completion | | |
Residents in Sumter County can look forward to crossing the Miller Road Bridge again very soon. SCDOT crews continue to work on replacing the Miller Road Bridge over Shot Pouch Creek. The bridge had to be closed in July 2025 after an inspection deemed it structurally deficient.
The targeted completion is late October 2026. When reopened, the new bridge will feature a higher elevation, which will help in extreme situations like flooding to prevent the bridge from overtopping. As crews continue, SCDOT asks that motorists remain aware and slow down when driving near a work zone.
| | Safety Improvements to SC 121 in Saluda County More Than Halfway Done | | |
Crews in Saluda County are approximately 60% of the way through a 14-mile Rural Road Safety Project along SC 121, with about 5 miles of work remaining.
Work began in March, and so far crews have completed paving along SC 121 between Greenwood Highway and Abney Nursery Road. Crews are now working during the daytime on the remaining section closer to the Edgefield County line, starting at US 21 Long Cane Rd (S-19-21) and ending near US 107 Batesburg Hwy (US 178).
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The project includes new paving and pavement markings, rumble strips, new guardrails, as well as a slightly widened roadway. These improvements are designed to improve road conditions, enhance safety for drivers traveling along the route, and ultimately save lives.
The SC 121 project is an example of how SCDOT is using the Rural Road Safety Program to enhance safety features to protect drivers utilizing rural routes across the state. Since the start of the program in 2017, SCDOT has improved 1,300 miles of rural routes with a variety of safety improvements.
These efforts are responsible for a 30% reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes across South Carolina’s rural routes, and a 54% reduction in run-off-road crashes involving fatal and serious injuries.
As crews continue working on SC 121, drivers are reminded to slow down, focus on the road, and give the crews working enough space to safely complete this important project.
| | Successful Bridge Rehabilitation in Oconee County on SC 130 | | |
The bridge on SC 130 over Stamp Creek in Oconee County needed a few repairs to extend its life and improve safety for the people who travel across it each day.
Instead of completely closing the bridge and replacing the entire structure, crews were able to target the areas that needed repairs, keeping the project focused and limiting the impact on drivers to a 10-day lane closure.
| | A Turn for the Better: Intersection Improvements in Lancaster County | | In June, SCDOT and its contracting partners completed a paving project at the Intersection of US 521 and Marvin Road in Lancaster County. This project added turn lanes to the intersection to help ease traffic and drainage issues caused by the increased growth in the area. | | |
Previously, there was only one lane on Marvin Road to US 521, which caused backups for traffic moving through the intersection. Now, there is a dual right turn lane, along with a straight/left turn lane. Likewise, the single left turn lane from US 521 south on to Marvin Rd has been upgraded to have two dedicated turning lanes.
With these new improvements to the intersection, motorists can look forward to a much better flow of traffic with less backups.
| | An Update on the US 501 Widening Project in Horry County | | |
SCDOT is making progress in Horry County to improve safety and travel.
The US 501 widening project is set to be completed in late spring of 2027, expanding the road from four lanes to six. This project will also feature upgrades to traffic signals and drainage. These upgrades will help improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion in the area, and enhance connectivity between major highways and surrounding communities. This project is funded by the Horry County RIDE 3 program, and SCDOT is overseeing its construction.
| | Smoother Streets in Calhoun County as SCDOT Completes Multiple Paving Projects | | |
SCDOT contractors recently finished pavement improvement projects on two rural highways in Calhoun County, near the town of St. Matthews.
On US 176, contractors repaved 2.5 miles of the highway. Those improvements were made between Country Club Road and the intersection at US 601, where a separate pavement improvement was recently completed between Scenic Drive and Moorer Road.
SCDOT traffic data shows that, every day, more than 6,300 vehicles drive this 1.5-mile section of the highway every day, on average, while about 1,600 vehicles use the recently paved portion of US 176 each day.
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Both of these projects were part of SCDOT’s Pavement Improvement Program, which includes more than 8,500 miles of paving projects previously approved across the state since 2017.
In the last few months, SCDOT shared that an additional 734 miles of paving projects were approved to begin within the next year as part of the agency’s 2026-2027 Pavement Improvement Program. Those improvements have been planned in every county across the state.
| | Five projects in the 2026-2027 Pavement Improvement Program have been planned for construction in Calhoun County. Three of those projects have been planned on major roads, including pavement improvement along nearly four more miles of US 176. | | SCDOT Hosts Third Annual Innovation Showcase | | |
SCDOT recently held the 2026 Innovation Challenge Showcase, bringing together employees from across the state to celebrate new ideas and creative solutions that are making our work more efficient.
Each year, the showcase recognizes SCDOT employees who find innovative ways to improve their daily workflows and, ultimately, better serve South Carolina’s motorists.
| | 47 innovators from across SCDOT presented 30 of their creations to demonstrate the creativity and ingenuity they are bringing to their work to improve efficiency, productivity and safety. 10 innovations were presented with Outstanding Innovation Awards by SCDOT leadership. | | From simple tools built to make a crew’s day easier to technology designed to improve communication and statewide planning, these innovations showcase the creativity and problem-solving happening every day at SCDOT. | | |
The Ashley River Memorial Bridge we know and love today first opened 100 years ago, in the winter of 1926. The bridge was dedicated to the South Carolina soldiers who lost their lives serving in World War I.
Nearly 30 years later, in October 1955, an oil tanker struck the bridge, destroying the west draw span. Crews quickly mobilized to repair the damage and restore traffic. This photo was taken on August 5, 1958, just a few years before a parallel bridge was added in 1961 to accommodate growing traffic along US 17.
Today, crews are once again making improvements to the famous crossing, adding a new pedestrian and bicycle path to better connect people traveling between downtown Charleston and West Ashley.
| | Pictured above: SCDOT, in partnership with local counties, municipalities, and partner agencies, celebrated the improvement of more than 700 crosswalks across the Lowcountry as part of a regional pedestrian safety initiative during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Charleston County. | | |
Employee Updates (September 2026):
New Employees
Retirements
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