Interstate 20 bridge in the Midlands reopens from repair in time for Christmas Eve travel
A Midlands interstate bridge that closed for emergency repairs just ahead of the busy Christmas holiday travel period has reopened, South Carolina officials said.
S.C. Department of Transportation crews worked for 48 hours straight beginning Thursday to repair a westbound portion of Interstate 20 over the Wateree River near Camden, the department said. The bridge reopened to drivers Saturday, just in time for Christmas Eve travel.
“The bridge is safe and open for travel,” transportation officials said in a news release. “We appreciate the patience of the traveling public while we completed these critical repairs.”
Officials have not specified what led to the closure and repairs on the bridge, but the bridge was already slated for improvements before the emergency closure. A project to replace both the westbound and eastbound bridges over the Wateree, which are about 50 years old, began recently and is scheduled to take about four years.
“SCDOT is committed to addressing the continued need for the replacement and rehabilitation of bridge structures across our network and ensuring the safety of everyone that travels the roads in South Carolina,” state transportation Secretary Christy Hall said in the news release.
