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Replies: 27
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110%er [7179]
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I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 28, 2023, 11:37 PM
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We didn't get to Jacksonville until about 6:50 pm. "We Left Rock Hill at 11 am"!
I had a thread complaining pretty much about the stretch between Gaffney and Anderson on I-85. I want to apologize to the people working that stretch.
At least, you keep the traffic moving.
This experience was terrible. South Carolina(My State) needs to get with the times with all the folks moving down here; I think. At least 3 lanes of traffic for those stretches at a minimum. It is needed in a bad way. I have driven in Los Angeles rush hour traffic on multiple occassions. Same with Atlanta, D.C., Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas and Richmond. This experience today; was absolutely the worst!
I could only imagine had there been an accident - which there wasn't.
But, bumber to bumper all the way pretty much from Columbia until the section where the exit for Hwy. 17 merges with I-95 and then it opened up.
Moral of my little rant: "it can always be worse; so be thankful for that"! LOL!
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Starter [396]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 28, 2023, 11:47 PM
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Same here my friend. Left Charlotte at 11:30, arrived in JAX at 7:30. Was the worst interstate traffic I’ve ever encountered. We go to FL beaches for summer vacations and I have a family rule that we leave at 1am. Today reaffirmed that rule.
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CU Guru [1226]
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an alternate rt...
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9
Dec 29, 2023, 12:33 AM
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yes, this way is longer but if you want to avoid heavy traffic:
take I-20 to Augusta
Get off on I-520 (mm 6)
Turn onto US 25 to Statesboro (US 25 is 4 lane with grass median in it all the way
after you get out of Augusta)
Take the 25 bypass at Statesboro
Turn right onto 301 at Uncle Shug's Chicken Barn (good chicken/pit stop)
Turn onto I-16 to Savannah.
Yes, Google maps will say its an hour longer,
but it's 4 lane all the way with much less traffic.
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Oculus Spirit [90820]
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Live in SAV & seen this traffic mess for umpteen yrs
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Dec 29, 2023, 12:44 AM
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starting about 25 miles north of Ridgeland SC on I-95 South down to SAV exit to of Hwy 240..but also bad around HHI area too.
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CU Guru [1401]
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lol at "Turn right onto 301 at Uncle Shug's Chicken Barn"
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Dec 29, 2023, 1:22 AM
[ in reply to an alternate rt... ] |
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some true Southern directions right there, love it
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CU Guru [1401]
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Re: an alternate rt...
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Dec 29, 2023, 1:30 AM
[ in reply to an alternate rt... ] |
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Highways 176, 21, & 178 are also some good alternate routes to use when needed. They essentially parallel I-26 on either side along that whole stretch from Columbia to the 1-95 interchange, so that's another way you can avoid that section if necessary.
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110%er [7179]
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Re: an alternate rt...
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Dec 29, 2023, 6:12 AM
[ in reply to an alternate rt... ] |
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yes, this way is longer but if you want to avoid heavy traffic:
take I-20 to Augusta
Get off on I-520 (mm 6)
Turn onto US 25 to Statesboro (US 25 is 4 lane with grass median in it all the way
after you get out of Augusta)
Take the 25 bypass at Statesboro
Turn right onto 301 at Uncle Shug's Chicken Barn (good chicken/pit stop)
Turn onto I-16 to Savannah.
Yes, Google maps will say its an hour longer,
but it's 4 lane all the way with much less traffic.
Thanks for the suggestion. Honestly may think about it; if the traffic going back looks to be the same way.
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110%er [9033]
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Re: an alternate rt...
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Dec 29, 2023, 7:33 AM
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Great advice - we were going to Atlanta for Christmas and had to make a stop by satesboro - we went secondary all the way past Thompson - the roads were really good and it was more relaxing than battling 20 through Augusta
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Orange Blooded [3353]
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Re: an alternate rt...
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Dec 29, 2023, 8:40 AM
[ in reply to an alternate rt... ] |
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It took GA over 20 years of continuous road work to make 95 three lanes across the whole state. Even with that, we often abandon the interstate and cut through the back roads of GA to get home to Aiken. On big travel days, it seems traffic will back up to Jacksonville when 95 bottle necks down to two lanes in SC.
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All-Pro [683]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 1:15 AM
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They are about to start six lane construction on 95. 26 needs it too
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CU Guru [1401]
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lol, first time?
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Dec 29, 2023, 1:18 AM
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My family and I drive that route a lot to visit my grandparents who live in the lowcountry, so I'm all too familiar with it. During high-traffic periods, especially during summer vacation when the yankees are traveling to the beach in Florida, the stretch of 26 between Columbia and the 95 interchange can get really backed up. It essentially gets bottlenecked at that intersection with 95. They've also been doing construction on that section, so that's made things extra murky as well. I actually remember the same thing happening back in 2014 when Clemson played Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando. We didn't go to the game, but we were traveling to my grandparents' around the same time it was going on, and I remember seeing a lot of traffic on the road that was mainly Clemson fans traveling to and from the game in Florida. I also remember seeing a lot of them driving through the little town where my grandparents live because people were getting off the interstate to try to get around the traffic backups. Interesting memories.
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110%er [7179]
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Re: lol, first time? No. But, 1st time during this time of year!
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Dec 29, 2023, 6:34 AM
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My family and I drive that route a lot to visit my grandparents who live in the lowcountry, so I'm all too familiar with it. During high-traffic periods, especially during summer vacation when the yankees are traveling to the beach in Florida, the stretch of 26 between Columbia and the 95 interchange can get really backed up. It essentially gets bottlenecked at that intersection with 95. They've also been doing construction on that section, so that's made things extra murky as well. I actually remember the same thing happening back in 2014 when Clemson played Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando. We didn't go to the game, but we were traveling to my grandparents' around the same time it was going on, and I remember seeing a lot of traffic on the road that was mainly Clemson fans traveling to and from the game in Florida. I also remember seeing a lot of them driving through the little town where my grandparents live because people were getting off the interstate to try to get around the traffic backups. Interesting memories.
I've driven to Daytona Beach, Port Canavarel and Orlando a dozen times "during summer vacation season". Which is why and shame on me for "assuming this would be a breeze during the winter"!
I could not have been more wrong!
Was looking forward to a breeze of a drive TBH. I figured: "no snowbirds coming South for the beach". "No Beach traffic" easy breezy.
Good to hear that stretch of I-95 will get expanded. It can't happen soon enough.
With the way people are moving South; seems like a good idea to jump on this. Industry (Field Of Dreams Style) may be more attracted to the space along that corridor if they know their trucks aren't going to sit in traffic for hours, LOL.
I26 needs to be expanded too all the way to 95 - I agree with that 100%. Wish we could just make both: 8 lanes now. Which seems like something that's needed in the event of a mass evacuation in the event of a major Hurricane anyway. Even if you made all traffic one way; would that be enough?
Anyway, thanks for the tips on getting down here. I will likely either A: leave before daylight next time. Or B. fly down next time.
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Orange Blooded [3728]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 3:02 AM
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I’ve been in California and Las Vegas for the holidays, I-15 is unbelievable. 7 hours to drive 270 miles. Bumper to bumper.
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CU Guru [1469]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 4:25 AM
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If you do not like traffic, do not take I-4 between Tampa and Orlando. Always at least one wreck and several slowdowns. What used to take me a little over and hour is now easily double that.
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All-In [25393]
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The older I get the more I despise driving the interstates;
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Dec 29, 2023, 5:01 AM
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hence, why I'll take back roads whenever possible despite extra distance.
I was raised in Rock Hill, still have family there, and when visiting from Columbia, I drive over to Winnsboro, then via Chester to R.H. I've even learned back back roads on that route. If I'm on one of my trips to Texas, I avoid downtown Atlanta and Mobile. Sad to remember the celebrations when the first interstates opened and how most people despise driving them now.
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Orange Blooded [3074]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 5:56 AM
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Same here. Left Columbia at 10:30 with plans to meet friends in Savannah for a late lunch. The stop and go traffic killed those plans. Things didn't clear up until I was about 4 miles from the Georgia state line. Fortunately I made it to Jax in time to meet my son at the airport.
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Rock Defender [72]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 6:05 AM
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Amen!!!!
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110%er [9033]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 7:30 AM
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Brother, it is awful. I have started going through Orangeburg, just because that interchange is so bad. I have to be on 95 around the SC/GA line and into GA almost daily. Around the holidays it is a shiite show.
Be safe out there and pull them through!
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CU Guru [1458]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 7:44 AM
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Just in case you needed ANOTHER reason to avoid Columbia, just wait until construction gets underway for the I26 / I20 intersection improvements.
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CU Medallion [53830]
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When I make that run to Charleston hauling a 20 foot boat to fish, it is
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Dec 29, 2023, 8:07 AM
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the most tense 2 and a half hours driving that I encounter..From Chapin until you get through West Columbia and then that stretch from Orangeburg to Moncks Corner is wide open...80 MPH or you get run over...
Be safe on the way home!!!
Spud
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Rock Defender [72]
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Definitely recommend the directions posted below!!!
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Dec 29, 2023, 8:07 AM
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We have family on Amelia Island that we visit several different times of the year. We use the Statesboro route posted below almost every trip back home to the Upstate. We have found the traffic to be much worse northbound on 95 than southbound. 26 is bad both ways. We can get back home from N Augusta through Gwood so not sure about there home for you.
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MVP [541]
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I-95 in Jasper always backs up. ALWAYS! And it dont understand why***
Dec 29, 2023, 8:11 AM
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Rock Defender [54]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
Dec 29, 2023, 8:13 AM
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Next time, fly
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110%er [6911]
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They are in the process of making 26 3 lanes on each side from Little Mountain
Dec 29, 2023, 8:15 AM
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all the way to Charleston. I suspect that will be several years of construction delays.
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All-TigerNet [10927]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
Dec 29, 2023, 8:16 AM
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I guess once the Gaffney construction is complete I-85 will pretty much be 6 lanes through the entire state. The upstate is in pretty good shape but stretches through Greenville are needing 8 now though.
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Varsity [224]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
Dec 29, 2023, 8:30 AM
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I-85 is terrible though, that stretch around Gaffney is always stop and go.
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Orange Blooded [4512]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
Dec 29, 2023, 9:57 AM
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The interstates in sc are barely passable due to volume. I have just about given up on them and take the old roads through the little towns. 1 stoppage or wreck on the interstate and it’s hours being trapped on those hellscapes.
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MVP [542]
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Re: I'll Never Complain About I-85 again! I-26 and I-95 in SC. My Lowered!
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Dec 29, 2023, 10:03 AM
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The worst is yet to come. Lived in florida for 24 years. Returning to SC on 95 is awful. You go from 3 lanes in GA to two in SC at the bridge. Traffic in GA backs up for miles at times. Good luck and be safe.
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