S. Carolina DOT to replace 2 bridges spanning Pinewood Lake

Photo credit: Still from WLTX footagePhoto credit: Still from WLTX footage

There are changes in store for drivers who commute on Garners Ferry Road (Route 378) between Sumter and Columbia, South Carolina, WLTX 19 reports.

According to Jason Fulmer with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, two bridges on the route that cross over Pinewood Lake have reached the end of their life spans and are being replaced.

“We are replacing the existing east and westbound bridges,” Fulmer told the news agency, adding that the department is also building a temporary bridge. â€śCurrently, we have our cranes. Now we’re putting on piles for our temporary bridge, and on the other side of the bridge we have asphalt going on. Beginning in mid- to end [of ] September of this year, the eastbound traffic going toward Sumter will be detoured to a temporary bridge. The westbound will be detoured to the existing eastbound bridge, so basically just a shift in traffic.”

However, local drivers aren’t convinced that it will be that simple, telling the news agency that they believe traffic will get backed up because of the detour.

Fulmer says the detour will be minor and won’t add much time to the drive. â€śThere shouldn’t be any bottlenecking, anything like that. I mean it’s going to be slower traffic, but it’s really just a merge,” he told the news agency.

The temporary bridge should be completed by the end of September, and the entire project is expected to be finished by the end of November 2017 at an estimated cost of $9 million.