Columbia Standard

Gov. Henry McMaster was joined by Secretary Christy Hall of the state Department of Transportation and business leaders to announce a proposal that would expedite existing plans to expand key segments of Interstate 26 between Charleston and Columbia, according to a governor's office press release.

A $360 million slice from the $8.8 billion given to the state as part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act would accelerate the project by at least six years, providing relief to motorists and businesses that depend on this section of the interstate.

 “Today I announced a proposal that would accelerate existing plans to widen key portions of I-26 between Charleston and Columbia," McMaster stated on Twitter. "Our state is growing and we must have the infrastructure necessary to support that growth. This investment would be a major step in that direction.”

The SCDOT had previously designated the widening project as a high priority due to the "state's growth and increased traffic on I-26," the office release said.

In the past decade, statewide traffic has increased approximately 30%, with I-26 carrying more than 22 million vehicles each year between Columbia and Charleston, according to the release.

The widening of highways has drawn some criticism, with some claiming that adding more lanes results in more traffic, a process known as "induced demand," according to an article by StreetsBlog USA.