‘Malfunction Junction’ road construction slated to begin in 2021
Safety improvements slated for Columbia’s “Malfunction Junction” — a highly trafficked, heavily congested interstate corridor — will begin next year, according to state transportation officials.
The Midlands construction project on the stretch of highway traversed by tens of thousands of commuters each day — connecting interstates 126, 26 and 20 — was included in an update on the S.C. Department of Transportation’s ten year plan, shared Wednesday with lawmakers.
The project — which includes widening portions of I-26, adding several ramps and getting rid of the interchange for Bush River Road off I-26 — is projected to cost about $1.6 billion. SCDOT officials have prioritized the project to reduce traffic in the area and improve safety.
More drivers crash in Malfunction Junction than any other comparable freeway to freeway system in South Carolina, according to SCDOT’s website.
SCDOT officials began preliminary engineering projects in the area over the last few years. Transportation officials closed lanes last year on the busy interchange while conducting drilling and soil testing.
In 2017, the state adopted a gas tax increase of 2 cents a year for six years, to help pay for road improvements. Drivers in South Carolina currently pay almost 22.75 cents per gallon, which remains one of the lower gas taxes in the country. A penny generates about $34 million for roads, according to S.C. DOT.
Currently, officials are purchasing land for the project, securing environmental permits and working with utility companies in anticipation of moving forward with the project, according to S.C. DOT officials.
The first two phases of the project will begin in 2021, beginning construction at I-126 at Colonial Life Boulevard and I-20 at Broad River Road
The entire project is slated to be finished by 2029.
This story was originally published March 6, 2020 at 12:08 PM.
