Columbia, S.C. (June 8, 2026) - The South Carolina Department of Transportation, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) will participate in the 26th Annual Hurricane Evacuation Exercise on June 10.
During this exercise, SCDOT maintenance crews travel to pre-designated locations to deploy barrels and cones.
SCDOT crews will rehearse the placement of traffic control devices along portions of Interstate-26 between Columbia and Charleston; US 21 and US 278 in Beaufort County; and US 501 and SC 544 in Horry County.
SCDOT equipment will be staged along U.S. 278 from Almeda to Hampton in Hampton County to support evacuation operations. State Highway Emergency Program (SHEP) crews will also participate in the exercise.
No traffic lanes will be reversed during the full-scale drill, which is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
The barrels being deployed will be placed along roadsides and roadway shoulders to avoid traffic interruptions.
The SCDOT will be monitoring traffic flow from the Traffic Management Centers and will also deploy traffic control devices including message boards along the routes.
During an actual hurricane lane reversal operation, barrels and cones will be placed in the travel lanes to safely manage traffic along designated evacuation routes.
Hurricane season in SC began June 1 and ends November 30. Drivers can identify their evacuation routes ahead of an actual evacuation, here.
Real-time traffic and road closure information is always available at 511sc.org and on the SCDOT 511 mobile app.
SCDOT encourages drivers to stay alert along the exercise route and remain aware of work crews operating along the roadway.