SCDOT, (moou grads), continues to kill drivers near gaffney…
- Thread starter CockofEarle
- Start date
Yeah that area is a death trap and our state government is willingly turning a blind eye. Of course it would help if people drove on interstates with a care for human life, but that’s uncommon as well.
There's a couple of those types of areas around SC. I-77 to I-26 around Columbia is well thought out but folks headed south to Florida or back home to NC and Virginia drive 80-90 mph along that corridor. 126 and I-20 near Irmo is a deathtrap. I found the new I-85 - Woodruff Road - 385 intersection confusing. I needed to go west towards Anderson, but the signage is a little misleading. Plus, if you are not in the correct lane at least a mile before you get there no one is going to let you change. To go west on I-85 from north on 385 you use the Woodruff Road ramp which then splits. I couldn't tell as I was approaching it so I "assumed" I should stay left (to go left) which was wrong.
The reason no one will let you in is because we have been overrun with rude ass people from up north trying to flea overwhelming taxation and liberal lifestyles. Then they try to make our state like the one they left. It’s happening in TN also.
You’re right about both. Around Irmo all of those people living out their NASCAR fantasies driving 110 mph while the inevitable fender bender or traffic jam for the mall is coming.
85 and 385 in Greenville is a mess. Just go ahead and assume someone confused is going to cut you off at the last minute. It’s almost a given. Happens around 26 and 126 too where people from out of town aren’t sure if they’re heading downtown or to West Columbia.
You tie 3 deaths to a sports post? Can’t be good being you. You must make your family proud.
GHS 70.
He’s just upset that his tractor is slow.
BTW. That’s a Clemson joke. Not disparaging farmers!
That's why people call it DIE 85 instead of I-85
What do the chutes look like? Any diagrams? I’m trying to picture what they look like.
I’m assuming you’re talking about the construction that pretty much begins as soon as you cross the SC state line from NC. I live outside of Charlotte and I’ll be picking up a friend in Spartanburg on the way to Atlanta in two weeks. Thankfully, Waze and Google Maps has come up with a different route that will get me around most of that crap. Ironically enough, it ends at his exit.
I just spent two weeks in South Carolina, relative had an operation. Went 77 to Charlotte to pick up someone, and 26 from Orangeburg to Columbia daily. Except for the holes in the bridges on 77, not too bad. If any of you have driven 95 in Florida from West Palm south or anywhere on I-4 around Orlando you know a real death trap. I-4 is the deadliest road in Florida, where there are 22 million people and most are from somewhere else.
The chutes are tight walls on both sides of each southbound lane. You have white knuckles driving through that mess. And if there is a wreck in front of you there is no way out. If you are in a wreck, there is no help that can get to you.
All true. And they come off 126 to Elmwood at 70 mph. There is very little enforcement of speed limits any longer and the faster you are going the more likely there will be a collision with serious injuries. I don't know if there is a conscious decision to stop enforcing the speed limit or if the HP is just overwhelmed by it. Probably some of both.
Yeah now, lets have the police/highway patrol/local sheriffs office step in and pull over more people and write more tickets. Handling such issues in reference herein are ALWAYS best addressed w/ MORE AGGRESSIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT!! NOT!!!!
WADR here OWC, I'm merely being a little harshly ironic. But turning to more aggressive law enforcement over traffic issues that, for the most part, are caused by northern tourist folks that are cruising our interstates just as they do "back home": As Fast As Possible!!
What needs to occur is a revision as to how to best separate the lanes that need to be repaired from those that are to be left open. Some means of a quite heavier or more blatant and repetitive traffic warning of what's coming up, coupled with a wider and safer interstate lane is, IMHOOC, the most mutually beneficial option as far as successfully accomplishing what we all want here; that of course simply being an eradication of the possibility of any potential major collisions/wrecks!!
In closing, again I meant no insulting offense, and apologize if such occurred OWC!!
Peace,
Gaim
My only guess is they keep the shoulder open for emergency vechiles. Coming down 26 toward cola the 2 lane chute was at a crawl……disabled rv going about 10-15 miles an hour flat tire, torn up rim was doing his best to keep moving.
It would seem on occasion that a break in barriers would be there to allow such folk to get off the road.
In another instance…..SCHP was manning the end of one wreck line with flashing lights, warning folks & road sign before to slow down, wreck ahead…..didn’t work, car at a very height rate of speed slams into SUV and goes airborne landing on HP car top. Lucky the officer was not hurt, but jaws of life were required to extract him from cruiser.
And we pay them so little, you be surprised.
I've seen a few lately myself. What I see more and more is a general disregard for traffic rules and basic driver etiquette by most drivers. The ones who follow the rules are the minority.
- no turn signal
- turning from the wrong lane
- driving slowly in the inside (fast) lane
- passing on the right (caused by driving too slowly in the left lane)
- excessive speed
- following too closely (tailgating)
- weaving
- blocking traffic
- failure to dim lights
And worst of all,……..talking /texting on cell phone!!☠️
So was I, on the way to the CLT airport. I said a few prayers but later in the day found out that they didn't help. They need to wrap that project up soon. The state will be paying out millions in lawsuits in the coming years.
For those who aren’t aware, the SCDOT is removing the chute but it won’t occur overnight. The chute begins at a point in Cherokee County where the southbound lanes of I85 become separated by concrete barriers. The outside southbound lane has a concrete barrier separating it from the median. It also has another concrete barrier separating it from the other southbound traffic which is moving in the inside lane.
For the most part exits are closed. There is no pull off option if you have car trouble, a flat tire, object in the roadway, etc. When traffic is stalled or moving slowly, you’re at the mercy of a driver coming up behind you, counting on him realizing traffic is stopped. That’s what happened recently. A tractor trailer driver didn’t realize traffic was stalled. He plowed into the stopped vehicle in front of him causing a 7 car accident and 3 deaths. The people that died had nowhere to escape as they were stuck in the chute.
Add to this emergency personnel must find the nearest open exit and maneuver to the wrong side of the interstate to get to the accident. Wreckers, police, fire fighters fall victim to this idiocy.
These were not the first victims of the chute and won’t be the last if it takes months to remove the chute barriers. The county has had DOT up here more than once to discuss this and other issues. The last meeting, held before this latest tragedy included the DOT employee who recently received one of the $200,000 pay increases. It was an open meeting and people were frustrated for sure. Her response was, “I won’t be coming back to Cherokee County.”
For the most part exits are closed. There is no pull off option if you have car trouble, a flat tire, object in the roadway, etc. When traffic is stalled or moving slowly, you’re at the mercy of a driver coming up behind you, counting on him realizing traffic is stopped. That’s what happened recently. A tractor trailer driver didn’t realize traffic was stalled. He plowed into the stopped vehicle in front of him causing a 7 car accident and 3 deaths. The people that died had nowhere to escape as they were stuck in the chute.
Add to this emergency personnel must find the nearest open exit and maneuver to the wrong side of the interstate to get to the accident. Wreckers, police, fire fighters fall victim to this idiocy.
These were not the first victims of the chute and won’t be the last if it takes months to remove the chute barriers. The county has had DOT up here more than once to discuss this and other issues. The last meeting, held before this latest tragedy included the DOT employee who recently received one of the $200,000 pay increases. It was an open meeting and people were frustrated for sure. Her response was, “I won’t be coming back to Cherokee County.”
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This has been a 10 yr abortion. A process Cherokee county has allowed to go on.
Situations like that are fraught with frustration at best and horrible peril at worst.
I wish Cherokee County could have told the SCDOT when and what to do. They cannot nor can any other county.
USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
They did the same crap on I-20 in Lexington the last 5-6 (10) years. It's the stupidest thing ever.
it was actually an explorer rear ending a different tractor trailer in front that mess that caused the pile up. the state really needs to put an emphasis on trucks only lanes,
as in “if your in an 18 wheeler, stay in this muther fuggin lane and deal with it until further notice b**th.”
especially during road management areas. don’t fine the hauling companies, take the license from the driver for a month.
the chutes need to be prepped and logistically sound for truckers. also those trucks need a standardized, universal speed limit.
Thanks. Of all the reports I’ve read and news broadcasts, I’ve not heard about the explorer incident. I do like your warnings wording. Maybe a few 4 letter word rules would get drivers attention.
Why? The people of Cherokee County don’t have to use I- 85. To them, it cuts across their county. Construction in that are means people stop to eat, etc.
They certainly could have been proactive…….it took a doz deaths to create an uproar that now will address the trap.
You nailed it, they don't care (have a good buddy that lives in Gaffney and doesn't get on I-85), but they really should. I have to send a delivery driver up that way at times. I always route him through the country. Yes, it takes a few more minutes, but it's not worth the risk to get on I-85 above Spartanburg. I get delivery addresses when I quote, and if it's in that area I tack on $200 for the extra time/fuel which more than covers it. I'll bet I'm not the only business that does that.
Residents and politicians in Gaffney have complained to the DOT about safety issues in the road construction long before this latest incident (and btw there was another accident in the chute this morning). It didn’t take a dozen deaths to create an uproar in Gaffney about this. Your accusations are really baseless.
People in Cherokee County don’t use I-85…is that your argument? Any county wants people to stop, shop, and eat. Is that not true of your county as well?
Let me ask everyone a question. We travel from Marion, NC to Greenville all the time and sometimes to Spartanburg. We always drive Hwy 221 and then take I-85 on the other side of Chesnee. Do I need to start taking a different route to Greenville and Spartanburg? Even if we are going shopping at the West Gate Mall in Spartanburg we always take the above route. But, now it's making me re-think another route to take. For example, I could take the 74 By-Pass on the other side of Rutherford and then drive I-26 either to the West Gate Mall or take I-85 into Greenville.
I'll let someone else confirm, but I'm pretty sure the main issue area of 85 is to the north/east of the 221 exit. So if you're getting on 85 south from 221 and heading towards Spartanburg you should be fine.
HOWEVER, you'll need to take regular 85 all the way to I-26 if that's the way you're going. Business 85 is closed around Hearon Circle/New Cut Road. They're replacing several bridges. When I saw the announcement, I thought to myself that will be a headache for a few months. Nope, the closure is planned for TWO YEARS. Ugh.
