2008 Woodie Awards
Pee Dee interstate to receive facelift
Many commuting students happy to hear I-95 will be renovated
Matt McColl
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: News
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Improvements will extend from S.C. 327 in Florence County near Magnolia Mall to close to S.C. 9 in Dillon County. The future improvements already have brightened the prospects of travel along the interstate by many students.
"The improvements in the Dillon area are needed especially bad," freshman Chase Hooks said. "I have always hated having to drive over that stretch of the (interstate) system."
South Carolina Secretary of Transportation H.B. "Buck" Limehouse Jr. said the wording of the contract for renovations also will be helpful because it will reduce many of the less attractive factors of road construction, such as delays in traffic and detours.
"This action was done based on the desire to bring to market a construction contract that avoids duplication of work, minimizes disruption of traffic and provides the most cost-effective construction management by SCDOT," Limehouse said in a press release.
SCDOT is formulating plans to patch, grind, seal and overlay the section of the interstate. The department expects contractors to submit bids during the summer or fall, when construction is expected to begin.
Some students, such as freshman Mary Beth Grice, are surprised about how long it has taken to renovate the road.
"I don't see how this hasn't happened before now," Grice said. "That section of the interstate is an eyesore, and it's about time that something has been done about it."
Dillon County official Gene Butler said modifications to the interstate are a much-needed improvement and will land a better impression on visitors traveling through the counties with sections of I-95 set for renovations.
The section set for improvement in Dillon Country is regarded by many travelers as one of the worst sections of I-95 nationwide.
Sharon Elvington, a regular I-95 traveler, is excited about the renovations.
"When I heard about the improvements that are going to take place, I was ecstatic," Elvington said. "This has been a long time coming, but I'm a little worried about how long the construction will take, considering how long it took to improve sections of I-95 in Florence a few years ago."
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