I-385 Rehab Project

Project Construction Plan

This project will be constructed in three phases with the first being the bridge jacking of the overpass bridges crossing I-385 within the project corridor. This will involve jacking SC Route 308, S-53 (Bellview Church Road), SC Route 49 (Yarborough Mill Road), S-31 (Fleming Mill Road), Secondary Road 23 (Metric Road), and a county Road L-267 (Lincoln Road) all in Laurens County. These overpass bridges will need to be closed for approximately one month to accomplish the jacking. The contractor will be instructed that adjacent overpasses shall not be closed simultaneously as well as the two SC Route bridges (SC 49 and SC 308). This restriction is aimed to minimize detour lengths to motorists within the project area. The bridge jacking project was let in May 2009 let with a target completion date in December 2009.

The second phase of the project will encompass the rehabilitation of I-385 northbound from mile post 0 to 14.9 and the bridge replacement of the flyover bridge that connects I-26 westbound to I-385 northbound. I-385 northbound will be closed from I-26 to SC Route 101, and will be detoured up I-26 to I-85, and all access to northbound I-385 from the crossing routes between I-26 and SC 101 will also be closed. This will allow the contractor to rehabilitate I-385 northbound quickly without the presence of traffic. Four crossovers will be constructed in the median prior to the completion of construction activities associated with the rehabilitation on I-385 northbound. Two will be at the US Route 221 interchange with the other two crossovers at opposite ends of the project on I-385. These crossovers will be utilized to relocate I-385 southbound traffic onto the newly rehabilitated I-385 northbound lanes.

The third phase of the project will encompass the rehabilitation of I-385 southbound from mile post 0 to 14.9 and the completion of the bridge replacement of the flyover bridge that connects I-26 westbound to I-385 northbound. Southbound traffic will be transferred to the newly rehabilitated I-385 northbound lanes using the crossovers outlined in the second phase. The only access to southbound I-385 will remain at the northern crossover and the US Route 221 crossover during rehabilitation of I-385 southbound. I-385 northbound will continue to be detoured up I-26 to I-85.

The interstate rehabilitation and flyover bridge replacement projects are scheduled to be let together as one project in August of 2009 with a target completion date in August of 2010. The contractor will not be allowed to close I-385 northbound and institute the detour up I-26 until January of 2010 and will have approximately eight months to complete construction activities.

Media outlets will be contacted and provided with detour information to include timelines in advance of any detour. Work zone intelligent transportation systems will be implemented during this project. Also, information regarding the project detours will be provided at the rest area adjacent to westbound I-26 in Newberry County and at the Welcome Centers at the Georgia and North Carolina state lines adjacent to I-85.