BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–After nearly a decade in the making, Berkeley County leaders finally broke ground Monday on the new Sheep Island Interchange.
According to Berkeley County Supervisor Bill Peagler, the project will not only alleviate traffic but also provide a major boost to the area’s economy.
“It’s going to alleviate a lot of traffic congestion from Exit 199,” stated Peagler. “We have a big interest in making retail a priority here in this area. Berkeley County is open for business and Berkeley County means business.”
Economic forecasts have suggested that job centers are gradually moving north up I-26 from the coast. The new interchange location is poised to capture a significant amount of office and industrial employment growth, officials stated.
The project includes widening I-26 from 4 to 6 lanes from MP 199 to MP 197, the removal of Sheep Island Road Bridge and auxiliary lanes added between Sheep Island Interchange & US Route 17A Interchange.
“This is a tremendous project. It is a great piece of connectivity between the interstate and Cane Bay. Once this thing is done, you’ll be able to travel from here to Cane Bay and that’s going to make such a difference with the traffic on Highway 17A,” stated Robby Robbins, SCDOT Commissioner for the 1st Congressional District. “When the town of Summerville completes its work on the other side, we’ll be able to go all the way from Highway 78 to 176. That is the kind of thing that we need in this area to help alleviate traffic congestion.”
Road closure signs have already gone up and trees have been knocked down where crews will begin constructing the Sheep Island Interchange. Banks Construction will be responsible for building the interchange, which is also expected to ease the huge growth in the Nexton community.
“Our primary goal is safety. We’ll also be environmental stewards on this project. We’ll be moving traffic safely and efficiently through this project, too,” stated Reid Banks, the owner of Banks Construction. “We’ve got a great team of
people who will be working with us to build this project. Over 30 other contractors will also be working on this job.”
The Sheep Island Interchange project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2018 and cost roughly $80 million.
Summerville Mayor Wiley Johnson, S.C. Senator Larry Grooms, Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis and several other community leaders also attended Monday’s groundbreaking.
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