Residents in evacuation zones of eight counties should begin making preparations for a potential evacuation beginning at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, (October 5). Affected zones include: Beaufort: Zone A, Entire county; Jasper: A and B; Colleton: A Only; Charleston: A, B, C; Dorchester: B, D, E, and F; Berkeley: A, B, C, G, and I; Horry: A onlyand Georgetown: A only
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has announced lane reversals using the following highways as part of the coastal evacuation as Hurricane Matthew approaches the state:
· Hilton Head – One lane is reversed to create three lanes traveling west on US 278 at the intersection of the Spanish Wells Drive and Moss Creek Village Drive. This reversal is approximately two miles in length.
· Beaufort – US 21 is reversed to create three lanes at US 21 Business and continues until US 17.
· Charleston to Columbia – A full, four lane reversal on I-26 in Charleston begins at the interchange of I-26 and I-526. The full reversal continues west until the I-26 crossover to I-77 just outside Columbia in Lexington County.
· Horry County – Horry County has two, four lane reversals: 1) SC 544 to US 378 and 2) SC 22 (Conway Bypass) to SC 576 near Marion County.
Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall urges drivers on all highways to drive with extreme caution during hurricane conditions, particularly those using reversed lanes to evacuate the coastal areas. “The usual rules of the road are changed in reversed lanes. The reversals are designed to keep traffic flowing, however, traveling speeds will be slower than normal. Drivers need to pay extra attention while in reversed traffic,” said Hall.
