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SCDOT to close 15 miles of northbound I-385 next week until August

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SCDOT is preparing to close 15 miles of northbound Interstate 385 next week for the next eight months as part of a major rehab/upgrade project.

The project's site is here:
http://www.i385rehab.com/

"The second phase of the project will encompass the rehabilitation of I-385 northbound from mile post 0 to 14.9 and the bridge replacement of the flyover bridge that connects I-26 westbound to I-385 northbound. I-385 northbound will be closed from I-26 to SC Route 101, and will be detoured up I-26 to I-85, and all access to northbound I-385 from the crossing routes between I-26 and SC 101 will also be closed. This will allow the contractor to rehabilitate I-385 northbound quickly without the presence of traffic. Four crossovers will be constructed in the median prior to the completion of construction activities associated with the rehabilitation on I-385 northbound. Two will be at the US Route 221 interchange with the other two crossovers at opposite ends of the project on I-385. These crossovers will be utilized to relocate I-385 southbound traffic onto the newly rehabilitated I-385 northbound lanes.

The third phase of the project will encompass the rehabilitation of I-385 southbound from mile post 0 to 14.9 and the completion of the bridge replacement of the flyover bridge that connects I-26 westbound to I-385 northbound. Southbound traffic will be transferred to the newly rehabilitated I-385 northbound lanes using the crossovers outlined in the second phase. The only access to southbound I-385 will remain at the northern crossover and the US Route 221 crossover during rehabilitation of I-385 southbound. I-385 northbound will continue to be detoured up I-26 to I-85.

The interstate rehabilitation and flyover bridge replacement projects are scheduled to be let together as one project in August of 2009 with a target completion date in August of 2010. The contractor will not be allowed to close I-385 northbound and institute the detour up I-26 until January of 2010 and will have approximately eight months to complete construction activities."

This will be the first time SCDOT has closed an interstate entirely over an extended time period for a construction project.

The decision isn't without controversy - as many motorists, businesses, and of course politicians have voiced their displeasure. SCDOT maintains that the $60.9 million project would have cost nearly $35 million more and last months longer if they followed the more traditional single lane closure construction methods.

Additional stories:
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20091213/BUSINESS/912130318/Drivers-face-long-I-385-detour-in-new-year
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009912210313
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Comments

Puggg said…
I think you can blame it on: (1) MoDOT closing I-64/US 40 in St. Louis for long stretches one year at a time for rebuilding, and (2) Ibid. for I-40 in Knoxville. DOTs are faddish, and the success of those two projects without any major inconvienience has taught them all that outright closures are the way to go.
7:28 PM
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