The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will participate in a statewide hurricane lane reversal drill on Thursday, June 25.
No lanes will be closed during the drill, which will be from approximately 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SCDOT crews will be rehearsing the placement of traffic control devices along portions of I-26, between Columbia and Charleston; US 21 and US 278 in Beaufort County; and US 501 in Horry County.
During this exercise, SCDOT Maintenance crews travel to pre-designated locations along these routes to deploy barrels and cones. Employees deploy the barrels on roadsides and shoulders for the drill so as not interrupt traffic, but during an actual hurricane lane reversal these barrels and cones would be used to safely manage evacuation traffic. During an actual evacuation, barrels would be deployed on the travel lanes, intersections and exits. Other SCDOT staff members are involved in monitoring the flow of traffic from the Traffic Management Centers and deploying traffic control devices such as message boards along the routes that would be reversed.
Motorists are advised to use caution as SCDOT crews will be stationed along roadsides.
SCDOT announced earlier this year an updated plan for reversing lanes on I-26, which includes beginning the reversal at the Nexton Parkway crossing, exit 197, instead of at I-526 as in past years.
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