Columbia’s Leesburg Road under construction for years. Why the delay?
Construction to widen Columbia’s Leesburg Road, a major artery spanning the southern border of Fort Jackson, will take over a year longer than the South Carolina Department of Transportation initially expected.
Slated to be finished in October 2025, the nearly $50 million project will now take until spring 2027 — shifting the timeline by at least 18 months.
The reason for the delay comes down to relocating utilities, including electrical, gas and water lines, said DOT spokesperson Elizabeth Childers via email.
“These relocations are complex, must be carefully coordinated with utility providers, and are necessary to ensure the safety and integrity of the roadway and surrounding services before construction can advance,” Childers said.
The total cost of that project is $47,509, according to Childers. The widening effort is meant to help the high traffic volume in the southeast Columbia corridor move more freely. More than 26,000 vehicles a day on average travel down Leesburg Road.
Drivers have for years been dealing with major construction on the route, which began in 2022. DOT is widening the road from two to four lanes, and is also installing turn lanes at the Patricia Drive intersection.
