I-95 Bridge Replacements over Lake Marion

Project Description

SCDOT proposes to replace the four I-95 bridges over Lake Marion in Clarendon and Orangeburg Counties. This includes the large two-lane northbound and southbound bridges over Lake Marion and the smaller two-lane northbound and southbound relief bridges over the lake.

The Lake Marion relief bridges provide overflow for Lake Marion to the north of an existing causeway. Additionally, replacing the existing I-95 Lake Marion southbound vehicular bridges includes constructing a new two-way pedestrian and bicycle facility. The adjacent existing US 301 pedestrian bridge, currently closed to all traffic, would be retained.

The proposed Bridge Replacements include:

Removal of the existing northbound and southbound I-95 bridges once the new structures are complete
Removal of abandoned in-water wooden pilings to the west of the current I-95 bridges and east of the US 301 bridge
Two 12-foot travel lanes in both the southbound and northbound directions
A 10-foot minimum inside shoulder (shoulders may be wider due to staging requirements) and 12-foot outside shoulder
A barrier separated 14-foot shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on the southbound bridge only
Bridge deck widths large enough to accommodate an additional 12-foot travel lane in the future, if needed

Purpose
and Need

The purpose of the project is to maintain connectivity and a safe interstate facility for the traveling public along I-95 over Lake Marion.

The existing narrow shoulders on the bridges do not allow for vehicle recovery if an incident occurs or space for a vehicle involved in an incident to move over. It is also impossible to perform deck repairs without shutting down a lane of interstate traffic, resulting in unsafe conditions and slower traffic movement.

Portions of the I-95 bridges are currently in fair condition. However, the National Bridge Inventory analysis of future condition ratings shows that by 2025 the bridges will be in poor condition and may require load restrictions. The bridge decks do not meet the current design standards for thickness. This results in a high rate of deterioration, especially in this corridor with a high percentage of heavy trucks.

As a hurricane evacuation route and integral link to other highly trafficked routes, I-95 cannot be closed nor detoured at this location because the two nearest crossings over Lake Marion are 20 miles away. The bridges must be replaced while simultaneously operating safely and functioning to maintain current demand.

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