New interchange needed along I-77 to handle traffic at the electric vehicle manufacturing site
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — When it as announced that Scout Motors would be building its electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility just outside of Blythewood, along I-77, many immediately thought of the impact a project of that size would have on the community, including traffic along the interstate.
With Scout set to eventually hire up to 4,000 employees, part of the plans for the location included a new interchange — Exit 26 — to handle the increased traffic and congestion brought by workers and suppliers at the site. South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) proposed the new interchange that would include four bridges, ramps, relocating an existing frontage road, and constructing a new east-west connector road from the planned Exit 26 to US 21.
Parts of US 21 will be relocated to accommodate a grade-separated crossing for a new Norfolk Southern railroad spur line serving the Scout facility. Additionally, the project includes widening the northbound lanes of I-77 from south of the proposed interchange to Blythewood Road and making improvements at adjacent interchanges.
The $152 million contract for construction of the new interchange was awarded to Lane Construction Corporation, a subsidiary of Webuild Group. Lane has been working on the I-20 bridges over the Wateree River and is rehabbing overflow bridges in Kershaw County.