US 21/178 Bypass (Joe S. Jeffords Highway) Corridor Improvements

The Challenge

The South Carolina Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Lower Savannah Council of Government (LSCOG) and in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), proposed improvements to the US 21/178 Bypass corridor from US 178 (Charleston Highway) to US 321 (Five Chop Road), in Orangeburg County, South Carolina for approximately 1.5 miles. The purpose of this project is to improve intermodal connectivity, evacuation and truck route capacity, and meet evacuation route flood capacity standards.

No sidewalk or multi-use path currently exists within the project corridor. This segment of US 21/US 178 is designated as an alternate route for trucks (US 601 Truck Route) to avoid downtown Orangeburg. The Joe S. Jeffords Highway study corridor is designated as part of an SCDOT Evacuation Route that utilizes Route 178 to provide a northwest connection from coastal South Carolina, inland and across the state.

The existing project corridor was a two-lane, paved road lined with a mix of commercial, religious institutions, school/educational/vocational centers, retail, and residential development located southeast of the City of Orangeburg, South Carolina. The proposed improvements included widening US 21/178 Bypass to four-lanes with center turn lanes as well as changes to Houser Lane, the tie-in to US 301 at the eastern end of the corridor, and the tie-in with US 178 at the western end. Drainage improvements and improvements to existing side roads were also proposed.

McCormick Taylor provided environmental and engineering services for the project. The Federal Highway Administration had federal oversight for the project, and the FHWA Division Office initially requested an Environmental Assessment (EA) be prepared due to anticipated residential displacements.

How We Helped

McCormick Taylor engineering and environmental staff coordinated with SCDOT to minimize design impacts to properties in the corridor, resulting in the project being down scoped from an EA to a Non-Programmatic Categorical Exclusion (CE).

As part of the project’s NEPA process, the McCormick Taylor team conducted field investigations, studies, and /or coordination in the following areas in preparation of the draft EA and subsequent CE:

• Purpose and Need Development
• Alternatives Analysis
• Socioeconomics and Displacements
• Cultural Resources
• Section 4(f)/Section 6(f)
• Land use
• Wetlands and Streams
• Floodplains
• Threatened and Endangered Species
• Farmlands
• Noise
• Hazardous Materials

Additionally, the McCormick Taylor team developed a public involvement plan to involve the public in the project’s decision-making process and hosted in-person public information meetings in the project area.