On- and off-ramps at busy I-26 exit closed as Midlands began Monday commutes
Key ramps connecting residents in the Chapin area to Interstate 26 along commutes to Columbia was closed Monday morning, as work intended to be completed over the weekend dragged on.
New on- and off-ramps at the Columbia Avenue exit, which ties directly to the heart of the lakeside town and bedroom community, were scheduled to open Sunday. But as Chapin police pointed out and the S.C. Department of Transportation confirmed, the ramps remained closed as the work week started. The on-ramp subsequently opened at about 9 a.m., and the off-ramp was open by midday.
“The overnight traffic shift at Exit 91 on I-26 was not completed on schedule and the ramp at Exit 91 Eastbound remains closed this morning,” Ginny Jones, director of strategic communications for SCDOT said via email, noting that drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes and use caution in the area. “SCDOT is working closely with our contractor to resolve the issue and restore access to I-26 Eastbound at this exit as quickly as possible.”
Chapin police posted hopefully to Facebook that the ramps could open by Monday afternoon, but SCDOT didn’t offer an exact timeline.
“Pack your patience currently,” Chapin Police Chief Thomas Griffin said in the video posted to his department’s social media. “Thankfully, school is out this week.”
The chief offered some advice as to how to get around in absence of the ramps.
“Where we would typically take a right at (the light) to take you to the on-ramp, that on-ramp is now closed,” Griffin said. “So if you’re trying to get to Columbia, you can take that right and then take a ride on Crooked Creek Road, which will in turn take you to Chapin Road, you can take a left that can take you down to Exit 97. Or you can also follow the detours which will continue straight and will take you to Broad River Road which will also take you to Exit 97.”
The new on-ramp comes straight off of Columbia Avenue and doesn’t require drivers to take a right toward Crooked Creek Road, and the new off-ramp similarly connects straight to Columbia Avenue.
The work at Exit 91 is part of the ongoing Midlands Connection project to widen I-26 from four lanes to six and eight lanes from Exit 85 in Little Mountain to Exit 101 in Irmo. All seven overpass bridges set to be replaced during the project are complete and open to traffic. Exit 91 is one of three interchanges being modified as part of the project, which is on schedule to wrap up in December, SCDOT announced earlier this spring.
This story was originally published June 3, 2024 at 8:44 AM.
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