It’s time to put the pedal to the metal — the I-26 widening project is being fast-tracked. The project will add new lanes to Interstate 26 between Charleston + Columbia in order to alleviate traffic. The accelerated timeline was approved June 21.
I-26 is a vital commercial, personal, and tourist route, and the SC Dept. of Transportation has considered this project to be one of its top priorities.
Here’s a look at the latest on the widening project, by the numbers.
- $600 million was recently approved by legislators to accelerate the project.
- 2034 is the new projected completion date.
- 6 years ahead of schedule — that’s how quickly things are now moving.
- 70 miles of I-26 will be widened from Exit 194 to Exit 125.
- 6 lanes — that will be the new total number of lanes after widening the currently four-lane highway.
- $453.5 million of the funds will come from COVID-19 aid intended for roadwork.
- $133.6 million of the funds will come from the state budget intended for rural interstates.
- 30% increase — that’s about how much statewide traffic has risen over the last decade.
- 22 million vehicles travel on I-26 between Charleston and Columbia per year, approximately.
For more information on the project, request more details from the SC Dept. of Transportation.
