Hurricane lane reversal exercise set for Thursday ​

“This hurricane exercise is critically important to the coordination of assets and personnel and represents one of many ways that state agencies collaborate to prepare before a hurricane event,” S.C. Department of Public Safety Director Robert Woods IV said.

No traffic lanes will actually be reversed during this exercise. The exercise will last from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The exercise will simulate reversal operations on U.S. 278 and U.S. 21. The deployment of equipment and personnel will be made on these roads leading out of Hilton Head and Beaufort.

Law enforcement personnel and traffic control devices will be deployed on Interstate 26 from the intersection of the 197 mm (Nexton Parkway) and I-26 in Charleston to I-77 and I-26 in Columbia.

Traffic control equipment and personnel will be stationed on U.S. 501 beginning at S.C. 544 and ending at U.S. 378, as well as between S.C. 22 and the Marion By-Pass.

Aerial units from SLED, the Civil Air Patrol, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and the S.C. Forestry Commission will be flying assigned aerial surveillance routes.

The exercise should not interfere with the flow of traffic. Intersections will not be blocked, and motorists will be allowed to move freely. However, the Highway Patrol cautions motorists to exercise caution and be aware that law enforcement officers and state personnel will be located on the shoulder of the highway and at exits.

Visit the SCDOT website to view evacuation routes and the updated lane reversal video for I-26 at www.scdot.org.

For more information about the upcoming hurricane season, visit the S.C. Emergency Management Division’s website: Hurricane.SC and download the SCEMD Emergency Manager app to stay up-to-date during hurricane season. Also, check out the S.C. Emergency Management Division’s 2021 Hurricane Guide.