W. Columbia: Don’t destroy neighborhoods to fix Malfunction Junction

West Columbia officials on Wednesday urged state transportation officials to drop a plan to put a bypass through some neighborhoods to ease traffic congestion at Malfunction Junction.

“It’s not a good solution when it means destroying neighborhoods,” Mayor Bobby Horton said.

The message was a reminder that city officials oppose one suggested route for a bypass connecting I-126, I-26 and I-20 that would cut through five neighborhoods in the Lexington County city.

In a statement, city officials said the plan would have a “detrimental impact to well-established residential areas that could be eliminated or compromised.”

The proposed bypass is one of two new roads being considered to help reduce problems where the three interstates meet.

This story was originally published May 31, 2017 at 6:41 PM with the headline "W. Columbia: Don’t destroy neighborhoods to fix Malfunction Junction."