The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) invites the public to attend the upcoming Construction Public Information Meeting on Phase 2 of the Carolina Crossroads I-20/26/126 Corridor Project.
The purpose of the meeting is to present the public with a first look at final design plans for Phase 2 construction and provide information about how construction will impact traffic. There will also be an information table on-site for individuals interested in employment with the Archer United Joint Venture construction team.
The meeting will be held:
Date Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Time 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location Dutch Square Mall
421 Bush River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
(Near the Mall entrance next to the Dollar Tree)
For those unable to attend in person, a virtual public meeting will be available online at www.scdotcarolinacrossroads.com/phase2meeting.
The historic Carolina Crossroads Project is one of the largest transportation projects in the history of SCDOT. It is designed to relieve a major pinch point in South Carolina's Interstate Highway System.
The overall project is divided into five phases. Phase 2 focuses on the reconstruction of the Broad River Road interchange at I-20. Phase 2 will also complete a portion of the I-20 widening and add a new ramp to improve access from I-20 westbound to I-26 westbound towards Irmo.
SCDOT announced that it was advancing Phase 2 construction in August 2021 with the award of a $127 million contract to Archer United Joint Venture. Phase 2 construction is underway and substantial completion is scheduled for early 2025.
The four other project phases are in various stages.
Phase 1 construction is underway. This phase focuses on reconstructing the Colonial Life Boulevard interchange at I-126 and will lengthen the I-26 eastbound exit ramp to US 378 (Sunset Boulevard). Secretary of Transportation Christy A. Hall signed a $208 million contract with Archer United Joint Venture for Phase 1 construction in May 2021. Substantial completion for Phase 1 is scheduled for late 2024.
Phase 3 of the Carolina Crossroads Project is the largest and most extensive phase of the project. It includes the cloverleaf interchange connecting I-20 and I-26 in the area commonly known as "malfunction junction." Procurement for a Design-Build Contractor for Phase 3 is scheduled to begin in September 2022 and construction activity is anticipated to begin in 2024.
Procurement for Phases 4 and 5 has not yet begun. All five phases of Carolina Crossroads are anticipated to be fully complete and open to traffic by the end of 2029.
Upon completion, the entire Carolina Crossroads project will include:
- 14 miles of interstate widening across portions of I-26, I-20, and I-126,
- seven reconstructed interchanges, featuring the replacement of outdated cloverleaf loops with modern ramp designs, and
- safer interchange exit points that are farther apart and separated from other interstate traffic, resulting in better traffic flow.
The $2.08 billion project is a part of SCDOT's 10-Year Plan to bring our state's infrastructure up to a state of good repair and modernize key portions of our interstates. The 10-Year Plan is funded with a combination of federal and state funds, including funds made possible by the 2017 state gas tax increase. The Carolina Crossroads project will be funded by 90% federal funds and 10% state funds.
The total interstate investment in the Midlands under construction or planned is approximately $2.4 billion. Statewide, SCDOT has tripled its road work to $3.4 billion in recent years and is ahead of schedule in the fifth year of the 10-Year Plan.
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