RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — With the new school year beginning on August 8 and an attempt to deal with increased traffic near the intersection of Spears Creek Church Road and I-20, South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will be enacting restrictions on left-hand turns at that interchange beginning Thursday, August 3, 2023.
During the morning and evening peak hours of 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m., motorists will no longer be able to make left-hand turns from Spears Creek Church road onto I-20 eastbound or westbound.
SCDOT says the elimination of left-hand turns during those times will help prevent vehicles from backing up in both directions, which can cause traffic congestion and pose safety issues in the surrounding area.
Signage will be posted so motorists will be able to follow the re-directed traffic routes during the peak times -- or motorists can plan alternate routes ahead of time. Please use caution while the new traffic patterns are put into place.
The new route for those on Spears Creek Church Road needing to access I-20 via a left-hand turn is to basically cross over the interstate to Percival Road/Fort Jackson Road and to use the I-20 interchanges at Sparkleberry or White Pond roads.
Motorists who turn off of Percival onto Spears Creek Church Road expecting to make a left turn onto the I-20 westbound lanes will be diverted to instead make a left turn on to Earth Road, to Clemson Road, to Sparkleberry Lane and enter I-20 westbound at the Sparkleberry interchange.