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SCDOT: At Least 338 Roads & 14 Bridges Closed In S.C.

Pictured: Road to Short Stay closed in Berkeley County (Via Short Stay Recreation Area Joint Base Charleston)
Pictured: Road to Short Stay closed in Berkeley County (Via Short Stay Recreation Area Joint Base Charleston)

According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, at least 338 roads and 14 bridges are closed in South Carolina.

Due to ongoing flooding and areas that have not been assessed, motorists are urged to avoid travel until conditions improve and roads are cleared.

“Conditions are still hazardous with the possibility of trees, debris, and downed power lines blocking roads,” read a SCDOT social media post. “Power outages are widespread from the midlands to the coast.”

The public is reminded that flash floods happen quickly and may not be identified with warning signs. If the road is covered with water “turn around, don’t drown.”

The greatest impact from Hurricane Matthew is below I-20 and east of I- 95, SCDOT officials stated. The center of the storm is approximately 20 miles south of Wilmington, NC.

The winds have diminished but sudden gusts of 40 to 45 MPH can be expected. Crews are assessing damage and removing downed trees from roadways in the lowcountry and other parts of the state.

Authorities say that in many areas it has not been safe to assess the damage yet. Therefore, many roads are likely blocked or flooded that have yet to be reported. Over the next few days a complete assessment will be made.

At least 60 maintenance crews in the upstate and midlands will deploy tomorrow morning as necessary to assist with road clearing in the lowcountry and Myrtle Beach and Georgetown areas.

UPDATE (10/8/2016) Engineering District 6 (Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, and Jasper Counties):

The recovery effort has begun across the district. Crews used daylight hours when conditions were deemed safe to begin assessing the damage and clearing debris from major routes where possible. Full-scale recovery will begin tomorrow morning at daybreak.

  • Conditions: Wind gusts are less frequent, but still high. Periods of rain are less frequent and lower intensity. Wind sensors are not functioning on the Ravenel or Don Holt bridges to report wind speeds.
  • Staffing: There are currently 35 District 6 staff working tonight. Each county has one crew and an admin working tonight. Crews will be full tomorrow working the recovery. Ten (10) District 2 crews have reported to the area today and will begin helping with assessments and recovery tomorrow morning.
  • Road Closures: There are currently 163 reported road closures in District 6 due to Hurricane Matthew. Several more road closures are in the process of being entered into ITMS.
Nikki Gaskins Campbell
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