Columbia City Council takes another step toward massive Malfunction Junction overhaul
Columbia City Council passed a measure that is another move forward in what will be a yearslong project by the state to overhaul the Columbia interstate tangle commonly referred to as Malfunction Junction.
On Feb. 16, Council approved a resolution authorizing the state Department of Transportation to do construction along Interstate 20 and associated ramps for the long-in-development Carolina Crossroads project. Specifically, the resolution OKs the work that will be done at the interchange of Broad River Road and I-20.
That work will be a part of the second phase of the Malfunction Junction fix. Back in November, the city approved an authorization of work in the first phase of the project, which would overhaul the interchange at Colonial Life Boulevard. and Interstate 126.
The Carolina Crossroads project will ultimately reconstruct and improve 14 miles of road at the junctions of Interstate 26, Interstate 126 and Interstate 20. The $1.6 billion project will be completed in five phases, the first of which could begin this year. The total effort could last until 2029, according to SCDOT estimates.
The Army Corps of Engineers approved a 15-year permit for the work back in September.
The overall project would help clear up traffic headaches in one of South Carolina’s busiest corridors, where two major interstates pinch together just north of the state’s Capital City. For instance, the stretch of I-20 from Broad River Road to I-26 sees 103,500 cars per day, according to DOT data. The section of I-26 from St. Andrews Road to I-20 accommodates 148,400 cars per day.
The resolution passed by City Council on Feb. 16 authorizes DOT to do the work in the second phase that is in the city limits, and makes way for the city to assist the state with the relocation of any water lines, sewer lines, manholes, fire hydrants or other utilities that might be necessary.
Columbia officials have said the city will save about $30 million over the course of the whole project because the state will pick up the tab of relocating city utility lines. The state Legislature passed an act in 2019 that allows the state to cover the costs of the line relocation on large projects.
That said, Assistant City Manager Clint Shealy noted the process of having the utility work included in DOT’s packages with contractors on the project will also benefit the state, as it will save time on the massive effort.
“When you are talking about a project of this magnitude, every day means a lot of money. Time is money,” Shealy said. “So, as we work with DOT, I think collectively we all think that schedule improvement and schedule compression by working together and including this in the road contractor’s package ... makes a lot of sense.”
