I-26 road crews to take weekend off

Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier

Construction crews continue work Friday on the new Remount Road overpass as part of the widening project on I-26 from I-526 to Ashley Phosphate Road. Holiday travelers won't have to worry about construction-related slowdowns because crews are taking the Labor Day weekend off before resuming the project Tuesday.

Holiday travelers returning from vacation Monday won't have to worry about nighttime lane closures on Interstate 26 as work continues to widen the freeway to eight lanes.

Work crews will take the weekend off but will return Tuesday to concentrate efforts in the vicinity of Remount Road, where footings for a new bridge will be built and new on- and off-ramps are being added, James Law of the state Department of Transportation, said.

Starting Tuesday, motorists can expect nighttime lane closures in the westbound lanes of I-26 near Remount Road, said Earl Capps of U.S. Group, the principal contractor for the $66 million project between Ashley Phosphate Road and the Mark Clark Expressway.

The 39-month roadwork will take the freeway from six lanes to eight lanes to ease the crush of rush-hour traffic on the heavily congested road. It also will add new ramps and bridges to Remount Road and Aviation Avenue.

"Most of the work next week will be with the Remount Road bridge," Law said.

Demolition of houses along West Boland Circle will begin soon to prepare for an extended I-26 off-ramp westbound onto Remount Road, according to U.S. Group's Web site.

In addition, underground stone columns are being placed along the path of embankments being built for the new Remount Road overpass to help increase the embankments' ability to hold their shape and resist vibration during earthquakes. The Charleston area is in an earthquake-prone zone.

Crews have been pouring asphalt on the shoulders at night to prepare for lane shifts when work begins to add the new lanes where the median is now.

"It will be two or three weeks before they start working in the median and the traffic will be shifted over permanently," Law said.

The entrance off Remount Road to the North Charleston Municipal Court and administrative offices for the fire and code-enforcement departments has been closed indefinitely to build the new ramps. Detour signs direct traffic to enter the facility from Air Park Road.

The extensive project has run smoothly so far, Law said, except for unexpected delays caused by moving a jet fuel line running to the airport near Remount Road and some work days lost to rainy weather.

Work on the jet fuel line was completed Thursday, he said.

"I think we are on target pretty much," Law said.

Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@postandcourier.com.