SCDOT crews are preparing to close a section of I-95 due to the flooding threat of the Great Pee Dee River, a report says.
According to SCDOT’s Hurricane Florence Operations Report released around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, “preparations have begun to close I-95 in both directions from Exit 164 (US 52) to Exit 181 (SC 38) due to the imminent threat of flooding at the Great Pee Dee River.”
The report also says there about 188 total closures in South Carolina due to the storm. 145 of these are road closures and 43 are bridge closures.
According to the report, there are closings in the following counties:
- Horry County
- Chesterfield County
- Darlington County
- Dillon County
- Marion County
- Marlboro County
Flooding continues in the northeast portion of the state as upstream waters arrive, the report says. District 5, which includes Horry, Georgetown, Marion, Dillon, Marlboro, Florence, and Darlington counties, is continuing flood mitigation efforts on U.S. 501 and U.S. 378.
“District 5 has completed the initial flood barrier at US 378 and anticipates the completion at US 501 by Friday. District 5 is now staging a number of pumps at these locations to further these mitigation efforts,” states the report.
853 SCDOT maintenance employees and 454 vehicle/heavy equipment are working in response to the storm, according to the report.
The report also notes transportation closures and openings across the state:
- All airports are open and operational
- Waccamaw/Coast RTA service is suspended with the exception of ADA paratransit to medical appointments
- PDRTA regular service has resumed, but commuter services to Myrtle Beach and Dillon remain suspended
- Charleston and Georgetown ports are open
- Dillon inland port is open and regular service has resume, with the exception of southbound rail service from Dillon to Charleston
- Amtrak services through Spartanburg, Greenville, and Clemson are operating. All other Amtrak services remain suspended.
SCDOT closed I-95 at mile marker 175 at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, according to a tweet from SCDOT.
Another tweet from SCDOT says motorists traveling north will be detoured onto I-20 (exit 160) to Columbia and then north onto I-77. Local southbound traffic will take SC 38 at exit 181.
SCDOT crews have closed bridges near the Great Pee Dee River in Florence County as river levels continue to rise, a Facebook post from SCDOT says. SCDOT captured the following video from the area:
Crews also worked to repair a shoulder failure off of U.S. 1 in Marion County, according to an SCDOT Facebook post.
SCDOT also urges motorists to obey all road closures in areas affected by flooding and down trees and that it is never safe to drive or walk into flood waters.
A full list of road closures can be found in the report or on SCDOT’s website.
