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Carla: John Smith–I‑95 widening plans submitted; signals installation ongoing with energizing timeline uncertain
Summary
Staff reported preliminary widening plans for John Smith to the interstate were submitted for review; DOT requires combined submission of widening and intersection plans. Members noted progress on signal installation but identified missing control boxes and said energizing may be delayed until November; the John Smith overpass may open by year-end.
Carla told the committee that preliminary plans for widening US‑278 from John Smith to the interstate were submitted for review last Friday and that SCDOT has required the widening plans and the intersection plans be submitted as a single package. "We are showing widening to the outside as Jeff talked about," she said, and added that intersection plans were roughly 90% complete while widening designs were around 30%.
Members pressed staff on the status of new traffic signals and control equipment. One member said they had not yet seen a control box in place; Carla said signal heads must remain hung for a set period before energizing and that she believed the schedule still pointed to a November timeframe. On the John Smith overpass, staff and a construction manager expressed hope for a year‑end opening — described as a potential "Christmas present" — and members agreed detours appeared to be working in the interim.
Committee members and staff also discussed coordination with SCDOT to allow county work to proceed while SCDOT completes I‑95 work; Iwaniki said SCDOT has reservations but staff are pursuing sequencing options.
