Major interstate exit in Columbia will be closed longer than expected
A detour on one of the Midlands’ busiest highways is going to last longer than originally anticipated.
The S.C. Department of Transportation closed the exit from Interstate 126 onto Colonial Life Boulevard on Dec. 1 as part of ongoing improvements to the tangled intersection of I-126, Interstate 20 and Interstate 26, popularly called “Malfunction Junction.”
The department had planned to reopen the ramp on Dec. 20, but now DOT says the exit will be closed for another three weeks.
“Due to unanticipated construction delays, this closure is being extended and is now expected to reopen at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 10, 2026,” DOT said in a news release announcing the extension of the closure.
During the shutdown, drivers heading west on I-126 are being directed to take the Greystone Boulevard exit to Broad River Road and then Bush River Road in order to reach Colonial Life.
The ongoing “Carolina Crossroads” project is DOT’s plan to improve traffic flow along the interstates in the Columbia area. The first phase of the project wrapped up last year and the whole project is meant to be completed in 2029.
Residents can keep track of progress and other closures on the Carolina Crossroads website.
.jpg)