A major milestone in the Carolina Crossroads Project to improve the traffic flow in the area of Columbia known as Malfunction Junction took place Wednesday night, as a longtime exit on Interstate 26 was permanently closed and a new one was opened, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation .
At 9 p.m. Wednesday, SCDOT said the I-26 eastbound off-ramp to Bush River Road was closed — for good.
Drivers looking to access Bush River Road from I-26 now must use the new Colonial Life ramp on I-126 eastbound, SCDOT said in a news release. The new exit is about half a mile past the current Bush River Road exit , accessible from I-126 eastbound, according to the release.
This move is one of many that are part of the Carolina Crossroads Project, to improve traffic in the area near the line between Richland and Lexington counties where there’s a junction for I-26, I-126 and Interstate 20. And it’s not the only one that will affect drivers on Bush River Road…