Lane closure means no traffic in or out for miles on busy stretch of Midlands highway
Drivers won’t be able to enter or exit a stretch of a busy highway running through Lexington County because of an ongoing roadwork project, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said Tuesday.
A lane closure on Interstate 20 will result in nightly detours and possible delays for anyone heading toward Columbia.
The right lane for all eastbound traffic on I-20 will be closed at night in between mile marker 54 and 60, SCDOT said in a news release. That affects all traffic coming or going toward Exit 55 (the junction with S.C. 6), and Exit 58 (the connection to U.S. 1).
The lane closure began Monday and is scheduled to continue through Saturday night, according to the release. The closure starts daily at 7 p.m. and will remain blocked for roadwork until 6 a.m. the following day, SCDOT said.
The work is part of a major traffic shift for a road widening project. Since last November, drivers heading toward Columbia have been shifted in between Exit 51 (Longs Pond Road) to Exit 61 (U.S. 378), and are separated by a concrete barrier.
Once the road work on the eastbound lanes has been completed, a similar traffic shift will occur in the reverse direction to remove and reconstruct the westbound lanes, SCDOT said.
When it’s finished, the project will add a third inside lane in both directions aimed at reducing traffic congestion, according to the release. Officials said the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2021.
This is the most recent of several overnight roadwork projects on I-20 in the area.
Last week an exit at Malfunction Junction, connecting Interstate 26 and Interstate 20, was closed.
It happened shortly after lanes were closed from mile marker 60 to 70 on I-20 as part of a pavement preservation project. That $6.5 million project is not expected to be completed until December, SCDOT said.
Drivers traveling near or through work zones are asked to use caution and be aware of equipment and crews, in order to “Let ‘em Work. Let ‘em Live,” SCDOT said.
I-20 detour
All drivers heading east on I-20 will not have access to exits 55 and 58, and the on-ramps at those exits from U.S. 1 and S.C. 6 will also be closed. Anyone trying to get off at one of those exits will have to continue to Exit 61, where they can re-enter I-20 westbound and head back for Exits 55 and 58.
Drivers looking to enter I-20 at Exit 55 will be directed to a detour route along Two Notch Road, Dooley Road, Cedar Road, and Cromer Road to U.S. 378 where they can enter I-20 at Exit 61.
Any traffic trying to enter I-20 Eastbound from U.S. 1 will be directed to the same detour, starting at Cedar Road and follow the route to Exit 61.
Source: SCDOT
