Road work stays ahead of schedule

AIKEN --- Construction on Interstate 520 -- the Palmetto Parkway -- is ahead of schedule with about 65 percent of the work completed.

"It's been a good project," said Claude Ipock, the on-site project engineer for the South Carolina Department of Transportation. "Everything seems to be in order and on schedule and on budget."

Drivers dealing with intermittent delays and detours on several Aiken County roads will begin to see the progress for themselves. Toward the end of the month, crews will begin paving the 6.5-mile extension of I-520 from its terminus at U.S. Highway 1 to Interstate 20.

"Concrete paving is a big milestone for us," Mr. Ipock said. "From a project standpoint, we're excited about it."

The widening of 1,500 feet of Atomic Road from two to three lanes is finished, and construction of a bridge is near completion. In late October, Mr. Ipock said, crews hope to have work on Ascauga Lake Road finished and the road's new alignment and bridge open to traffic.

"Ascauga Lake Road should wrap up this fall, and work will pick up on U.S. (Highway) 25 and the I-20 interchange," Mr. Ipock said.

The Palmetto Parkway is expected to relieve truck traffic on U.S. 25 and improve traffic flow in and out of North Augusta.

In 2003, the average daily traffic count on U.S. 25 from Ascauga Lake Road to the Edgefield County line was 25,500. That number is expected to increase by more than 37 percent by 2025.

Aiken County Administrator Clay Killian said the Palmetto Parkway was an attractive project for the county with regard to economic development, access and traffic flow.

"I think it's going to be a big boon for the entire county but especially for the west side of the county," he said.

When it's finished, the parkway will complete a loop around the southern end of Augusta, providing convenient access to Fort Gordon, North Augusta and downtown Augusta.

Construction began in May 2007 on the second phase, which cost more than $127 million. Its completion date is Dec. 31, 2009, six months later than originally anticipated.

Earlier this year, the South Carolina Infrastructure Bank approved an additional $18 million for the parkway, expanding the scope of the project.

The additional work includes widening Clearwater Road from three to five lanes, widening U.S. 25 to eight lanes and building a new eight-lane bridge spanning I-20 at U.S. 25, all of which had originally been excluded from the project to reduce the overall cost.

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.