SCDOT to Introduce EAST Study and Goals

COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 15, 2020) -- The South Carolina Department of Transportation launched a public information meeting today for the I-526 Lowcountry Corridor (I-526 LCC) EAST Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study in Berkeley and Charleston Counties. The online meeting and accompanying survey are available through August 15 and can be found by visiting 526lowcountrycorridor.com/vpim-east/.

The purpose of the public information meeting is to provide the public access to the information online that would have been provided during an in-person meeting. It will also provide the opportunity to discuss the needs of the I-526 LCC EAST, present what a PEL study is, provide information on existing conditions, and receive comments on the purpose and need of the study. Additionally, SCDOT is interested in gathering information from the public or any interested organization on historic or cultural resources in the area. 

"This public information meeting represents a valuable opportunity to receive public input on the corridor's existing challenges and potential solutions and better explain the PEL study process," said SCDOT Project Manager Joy Riley. "With the amount of congestion along this corridor now, further compounded by the current trend of regional growth, it is now more important than ever to find effective solutions."

The PEL study, a first for South Carolina, will identify existing and projected transportation issues within the I-526 corridor through public and stakeholder engagement. The results of the study will be used to establish a vision for the corridor that will guide future transportation solutions. 

The I-526 LCC EAST study area extends from Virginia Avenue in North Charleston to approximately U.S. Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. It is one of South Carolina's most congested interstate corridors and includes the Don Holt Bridge and the James B. Edwards Bridge, which are significant river crossings for this region.

Information presented on the public information meeting will be available in both English and Spanish. Additional information concerning the project may be found online at 526LowcountryCorridor.com or by emailing info@526LowcountryCorridor.com. For those needing special accommodations, please call 803.737.1395.

Comments can be made by completing the comment form within the public information meeting webpage, mailing a comment card (download here), emailing the project team at info@i526lowcountrycorridor.com, calling the project hotline at 843.258.1135, or by scheduling an appointment at the I-526 LCC Community Office by phone at 843.258.1135.

Written comments may be submitted by mail to:

Joy Riley
SC Department of Transportation
Post Office Box 191
955 Park Street
Columbia, SC  29202-0191

 Comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically by August 15, 2020.

In addition to the I-526 Lowcountry Corridor EAST study, SCDOT has embarked on a 10-Year Plan to widen congested interstates, improve road safety, replace or reinforce structurally deficient bridges, and resurface the state's most heavily traveled roads. SCDOT is actively working projects in all of South Carolina's 46 counties. While fixing the state's roads will take time after 30 years of funding neglect, SCDOT is ahead of schedule since the state's gas tax increase was enacted in July 2017. SCDOT's statewide 10 Year Plan can be found at:  https://www.scdot.org/projects/ten-year-plan.aspx.

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Media Contact:
Joy Riley, PE, DBIA
SCDOT Project Manager
info@526LowcountryCorridor.com
803.737.1346