I-526 improvement project will affect at least 80 homes and businesses in the area, SCDOT looking for alternatives

As we already reported multiple times, in an effort to reduce the traffic along I-526, SCDOT is working on improvement project that will probably take place no earlier than 2027.

According to the initial improvement project, nearly 80 homes and businesses will be directly affected in the areas where this project is planned to take place.

On Wednesday, SCDOT held another in-person information meeting today outlining possible alternatives.

Joy Riley, SCDOT Project Manager, said that the most impacted will be those between the Wando River Bridge and the Long Point Road Interchange.

That’s the area with many existing neighborhoods and businesses.

“People are very upset because the footprints are so big at this stage than what everyone wants and we are just laying out alignments,” Riley says.

“Once we go in there and start designing, we can pair up and modify these alignments so that we can reduce or minimize those impacts,” Riley added.

The project is in its initial planning phase and those the most affected should not worry at this point.

SCDOT will take everything into consideration and will look for possible alternatives in order the project to affect as few people as possible.

Officials say that the soonest start date of the project is at least six years from now and it might even take a full decade.

“We are asking people not to panic too much,” Riley says. “Those footprints will get smaller as we design and make modifications.”

SCDOT will be taking comments and concerns on the project until December 1.