WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is announcing the Trump Administration’s first federal grant agreement under the Bridge Investment Program (BIP).
The $175 million grant, awarded to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, will go to replace the aging 55-year-old bridges on Interstate 95 over Lake Marion which serves as a major freight artery for the East Coast.
“I am very grateful to Secretary Duffy and his team for starting to push the grant funds out the door – at the direction of President Trump – to make the I-95 bridges replacement project over Lake Marion a reality,” said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. “This is one of the most important projects in our state. It’s been a collaborative effort and will tremendously improve quality of life and commerce in the region.”
Lake Marion Bridge Replacement Project
The I-95 over Lake Marion Bridge Replacement Project will replace four existing bridges that connect Clarendon and Orangeburg Counties in South Carolina and carry about 38,900 vehicles along the I-95 corridor daily.
“Thank you to Secretary Duffy for delivering this critical grant money to fund the bridge on I-95,” said U.S. Senator Tim Scott. “This common-sense investment in infrastructure is a win for every South Carolinian who commutes to work, operates a business, moves our goods, and transports their family. President Trump and Secretary Duffy are proving once again that they know how to get things done and will deliver on their promise to focus on our infrastructure without saddling Americans with unnecessary debt or wasteful political agendas.”
According to an USDOT press release, the bridges do not meet current design standards with narrow shoulders and roadway approaches and will be replaced with new infrastructure over Lake Marion. The new configuration calls for a single structure carrying three lanes of I-95 in each direction, with future capacity to expand to four lanes.
“South Carolina appreciates the quick action by Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration to advance this critical grant project,” said South Carolina Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell. “The Lake Marion Bridge project will help ensure a bright future for the people of our state and the nation. SCDOT is prepared to move forward immediately to put these dollars to work by building big, transformative infrastructure that benefits American families.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
