Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by malfunction junction. 🙋

The intersection of I-20, I-26 + I-126 – a.k.a. malfunction junction – tops the list for the most traffic accidents in 2016. So, fixing it is a top priority for the S.C. Department of Transportation. The rub? Construction could cost ~$1.5 billion and take up to 7 years to complete.

A new road to ease congestion is a possible solution (it’s one of 49 possibilities being considered), but it may misplace many homes + neighborhoods in West Columbia like River’s Edge community. It could also endanger the Congaree + Saluda rivers.

Six possible plans for improving the intersection will be put on the table at the end of the summer, with the final plan picked by next year + construction beginning in 2019.

Proposals being considered:

Widening roads near St. Andrews and Broad River
Connecting I-26 by Harbison and I-77 by Blythewood with a new road
Making changes to a dozen intersections
Promoting public transportation

3 min read / The State