Home Local News SCDOT officials aim to open bridge by May

SCDOT officials aim to open bridge by May

The bridge on U.S. 1 that traverses Husbands Creek in Wallace, South Carolina, is expected to be complete by the first week of May, according to officials with the S.C. Department of Transportation.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer

WALLACE, S.C. — Officials with the South Carolina Department of Transportation hope to have a short section of U.S. 1 open before Memorial Day.

Ken Hayes, resident construction engineer with the SCDOT Darlington construction office, said Tuesday that they’re planning to have the bridge over Husbands Creek completed by the first week of May — weather permitting.

“We’ve had a lot of rain and that channel transports a lot of storm drainage,” he said.

The bridge has been out since Hurricane Florence swept through the area in mid-September —  nearly seven months ago.

Following the storm, inspectors discovered structural damage on the culvert, Hayes said.

The old bridge was demolished and construction of the double-barrel culvert is about halfway complete, he added, saying the bottom of the culvert has been poured and they are currently working on the walls. The two culverts are 10 feet by 10 feet.

The projected completion date on the SCDOT website was Jan. 22.

Drivers heading toward Cheraw, South Carolina, are detoured in Richmond County to N.C. 177 and S.C. 9.

On the north side, the road is closed about 200 feet from the bridge, where drivers can see the stoplights at the intersection with N.C. 9.

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Motorists who ignore the detour signs in Richmond County can turn left onto Delta Height Road, take it to the end and turn right onto Step Road, which comes out at Hwy. 177. It’s about a 5-mile detour from the road closure to the intersection.

The only other way to Chesterfield County is to take U.S. 74 to N.C. 145, just past the Pee Dee River bridge, and drive through Morven to Chesterfield or take U.S. 52 to Cheraw.

There are 698 out-of-state commuters in Richmond County, according to Economic Developer Martie Butler.

 



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Managing Editor William R. Toler is an award-winning writer and photographer with experience in print, television and online media.