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SCDOT said overnight work on eastbound I-26 near mile marker 213 was finished early on September 29, 2026, but traffic-control equipment remained in place until 7:45 a.m. The agency expected it to be removed before 4:30 a.m. Live 5 reported that the delay backed up traffic for several miles and pushed the Summerville-to-downtown Charleston drive well beyond two hours. An October 8 report says SCDOT later terminated the contractor and changed its work-zone procedures.
Why was eastbound I-26 backed up?
The delay followed overnight construction near mile marker 213 on eastbound I-26. In a statement reproduced by Live 5, SCDOT said the construction was completed early that morning and traffic-control providers were expected to remove equipment and reopen the lanes before 4:30 a.m. The equipment was not removed until 7:45 a.m.; SCDOT said the roadway was then clear and that it was working with the contractor to correct the problem.
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Live 5 reported several miles of severe congestion through much of the morning commute. The outlet said the Summerville-to-downtown Charleston drive took well over two hours. Those figures describe this incident, not a typical travel time or a broader traffic estimate.
How long did the lane closure last?
The available accounts give distinct time references. SCDOT’s September 29 statement, as reproduced by Live 5, says equipment was expected to be removed before 4:30 a.m. and was actually removed at 7:45 a.m. An October 8 report by AOL, republishing WCBD News 2 coverage, says SCDOT had expected removal around 4 a.m. based on the anticipated work schedule. The reports do not establish a single more precise start time for the closure, so the delay can be described by comparing each report’s expected removal time with the reported 7:45 a.m. removal.
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Did SCDOT terminate the traffic-control contractor?
An October 8 report says SCDOT Secretary Justin Powell wrote to the Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester county legislative delegations on October 6 after an internal review. According to that report, Powell said the agency was terminating the contractor’s services for failure to perform.
The October 8 account also says SCDOT took corrective action involving agency staff who had failed to address or escalate the contractor’s delay. It reports that new procedures require multiple contractor staff members to be on site during maintenance projects so traffic-control devices can be removed promptly when work is complete. The October 6 letter itself was not available in the cited coverage, so these details are attributable to the report’s account of the letter. The contractor was not named in SCDOT’s initial statement, and the available accounts do not establish its identity.
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What changed between SCDOT’s initial response and its later account?
| Stage | What was reported |
|---|---|
| September 29 initial statement | SCDOT said the work was complete, the equipment remained until 7:45 a.m. despite an expected removal before 4:30 a.m., and the agency was working with the contractor to correct the issue. Live 5 reproduced the statement. |
| October 6 letter, as reported October 8 | SCDOT Secretary Justin Powell reportedly described an internal review, termination of the contractor’s services, corrective action involving agency staff, and a requirement for multiple contractor staff members to be on site for maintenance work. AOL republished WCBD News 2’s account; the letter was not available in the cited coverage. |
Where can drivers check current I-26 traffic?
SCDOT’s traveler guidance points drivers to the 511SC app for updated traffic information and advises them to slow down and pay attention around work zones. The agency notice that mentions 511SC concerns a separate I-26/I-95 project; it does not identify an incident-specific detour for the September 29 backup. SCDOT
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