Proposed fixes for ‘Malfunction Junction’ to be unveiled
State transportation officials are focusing on upgrading intersections and improving nearby roads as a first step to reduce congestion in “Malfunction Junction.”
The ideas — designed to ease bottlenecks on the corridor where Interstates 20, 26 and 126 meet — will be unveiled Tuesday at a public hearing.
The proposals being considered to fix what state officials call “Carolina Crossroads” include:
▪ Altering a dozen intersections, mainly on I-26, so traffic entering and leaving the interstates moves better
▪ Widening nearby St. Andrews and Broad River roads to handle more vehicles
▪ Adding a connector from I-26 in the Irmo area to I-77, near Blythewood, to reduce traffic jams at the intersection of Interstates 20, 26 and 126.
▪ Encouraging flexible work schedules, and promoting bus and commuter rail service
Looking at adding lanes to the interstates in the area is premature until the impact and cost of other options is considered, state Department of Transportation project manager Brian Klauk said.
Transportation officials have spent the past year examining various proposals. The goal is to start repairs in 2019. A preliminary plan on fixes chosen could come as soon as late 2017.
“This is a range of reasonable alternatives,” Klauk said of the options. “It’s a constant winnowing process.”
The proposals also will outline the impact on neighborhood and commercial areas along the roads.
Fixing the corridor is the state’s top transportation goal.
Improvements could cost as much as $1.5 billion and take up to 10 years to complete, according to preliminary estimates.
The highways were built in the 1960s. Improvements were made from 1976-97 as more neighborhoods and stores rose along the routes.
But no one foresaw the number of vehicles today traveling the roads as the Columbia area grew and I-26 became a lifeline between the Lowcountry’s ports and the Upstate’s manufacturing hub.
Up to 133,600 vehicles a day travel through the intersection of Interstates 20 and 26, traffic studies say.
Tim Flach: 803-771-8483
If you go
State transportation officials will outline the impact of improvements proposed for the intersection of I-20, I-26 and I-126 at a session from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at Seven Oaks Elementary School, 2800 Ashland Road, St. Andrews.
This story was originally published October 3, 2016 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Proposed fixes for ‘Malfunction Junction’ to be unveiled."