"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

BC1836 · Oct 9, 2015

OKW Lover said:
Gas prices around Disney jumped 20-25 cents over the past couple of days.

What?

OKW Lover · Oct 9, 2015

BC1836 said:
What?

I misspoke. It wasn't quite that large a jump. More like 15 cents. Surprising nonetheless.

CookieGVB · Oct 10, 2015

I went to SCDOT page - it's looking like parts of I95 will remain closed, at least until 10/18 (possibly longer is my fear)

http://dbw.scdot.org/roadconditions2/default.aspx

We're leaving on the 20th from AC airport. Can someone guide me as to an alternate - apparently the detour adds quite a few miles...

Thanks.

disneysteve · Oct 10, 2015

CookieGVB said:
I went to SCDOT page - it's looking like parts of I95 will remain closed, at least until 10/18 (possibly longer is my fear)

http://dbw.scdot.org/roadconditions2/default.aspx

Thanks for the link. We don't leave until 11/3 but I think I'll start planning an alternate route just in case.

kittylady1972 · Oct 10, 2015

We drove to Jacksonville from MD yesterday afternoon. 95 South was closed at about exit 160 in SC and thank goodness for Waze and Google Maps apps! Winding through many back roads, small towns, past many other closed and partially washed out roads, in the dark...what an adventure. Ha. Anyway we even weaved back over 95 at some point. We left around 12:30pm and made minimal stops, fast food for dinner (but did sit down to eat there) and arrived in Jacksonville after 1am. Oh we merged back onto 95S around exit 116 in SC I think.

So cant tell you if there were better routes because I think so many roads might be closed in areas. It definitely seemed quite long! This doesn't show the full route, but keep in mind we started on 95S.

We drive back a week from today. Will report back on how that goes and what is closed. At least that trip north will be daylight hours!

BC1836 · Oct 10, 2015

kittylady1972 said:
We drove to Jacksonville from MD yesterday afternoon. 95 South was closed at about exit 160 in SC and thank goodness for Waze and Google Maps apps! Winding through many back roads, small towns, past many other closed and partially washed out roads, in the dark...what an adventure. Ha. Anyway we even weaved back over 95 at some point. We left around 12:30pm and made minimal stops, fast food for dinner (but did sit down to eat there) and arrived in Jacksonville after 1am. Oh we merged back onto 95S around exit 116 in SC I think.

So cant tell you if there were better routes because I think so many roads might be closed in areas. It definitely seemed quite long! This doesn't show the full route, but keep in mind we started on 95S.

We drive back a week from today. Will report back on how that goes and what is closed. At least that trip north will be daylight hours!

Thanks for your informative report. We look forward to your return trip report, too.

All the best! :thumbsup2

5kidsmommy · Oct 10, 2015

Not sure how I missed these lovely threads. We drive everywhere, WDW included, it's only about 2,140 miles round trip but I guess that means I can be part of this thread. Excited for my trip in 36 days, hoping for great weather.

nono · Oct 11, 2015

For SC, the official route around is to send folks out I20 towards Columbia and then back via I26 (or reverse if you are heading north). A couple hours additional. I've plotted out a couple of route alternates like I85/I77 and back below the problem area, but since we'll be in the dark, I figure there's no sightseeing, so why bother. I'll stick to the detour as is in the dark. Now, if we decide to come home in daylight.... :scratchin

A lot can change in the next few weeks, so let's just keep posting updates as we find them. :thumbsup2

disneysteve · Oct 11, 2015

nono said:
let's just keep posting updates as we find them

Absolutely. Thanks in advance to all who keep the rest of us informed. We leave on 11/3. I hope they've got things open by then but if not, I'll appreciate input from all of you.

BC1836 · Oct 11, 2015

nono said:
For SC, the official route around is to send folks out I20 towards Columbia and then back via I26 (or reverse if you are heading north). A couple hours additional. I've plotted out a couple of route alternates like I85/I77 and back below the problem area, but since we'll be in the dark, I figure there's no sightseeing, so why bother. I'll stick to the detour as is in the dark. Now, if we decide to come home in daylight.... A lot can change in the next few weeks, so let's just keep posting updates as we find them.

To the best on your knowledge is the I-77 link, which connects I-20 and I-26 south of Columbia part of "the official route?"

All the best! :thumbsup2

BC1836 · Oct 11, 2015

From WCBD News 2:

South Carolina officials say the foundations under some bridges on Interstate 95 have washed out, and they can’t say when a 13-mile stretch of one of the most important highways on the East Coast will be open.

South Carolina Transportation Secretary Christy Hall said Friday that the problems are on 18 separate small bridges that go over the Black and Pocotaligo rivers and surrounding swampland in Clarendon County.

Hall says a contractor will begin to fix the foundations Saturday and work night and day. But she says she can’t say how long that will take.

Other bridges in the area are also damaged, so travelers on I-95 that would normally drive 74 miles from Interstate 26 to Interstate 20 are having to take a 168-mile detour through Columbia.

All the best! :thumbsup2

disneysteve · Oct 11, 2015

BC1836 said:
From WCBD News 2:

they can’t say when a 13-mile stretch of one of the most important highways on the East Coast will be open.

having to take a 168-mile detour through Columbia.

UGH! I do not like the sounds of that at all.

How is it possible, though, that closing 13 miles of 95 necessitates a 168-mile detour? I guess if it's in the middle of nowhere and other roads are also damaged, there's no usable alternative.

nono · Oct 11, 2015

BC1836 said:
To the best on your knowledge is the I-77 link, which connects I-20 and I-26 south of Columbia part of "the official route?"

Yes, that may have not been so originally. But yes, it is what it is now (at least earlier today!) :flower:

disneysteve said:
UGH! I do not like the sounds of that at all.

How is it possible, though, that closing 13 miles of 95 necessitates a 168-mile detour? I guess if it's in the middle of nowhere and other roads are also damaged, there's no usable alternative.

The part that's actually closed is near Manning. However, they use the nearest interstates which are farther apart, to redirect through traffic. Before this horrible event, SC had some of the most unstable/under-maintained bridges in the East. I imagine a lot of the artery roads' bridges are all a big question mark to SC DOT at the moment. Sooo, while there may be a viable shorter route, until they verify the bridges along those routes, they won't release a detour route using anything but the interstates. It's really a daunting task for the DOT. I don't envy them.

BC1836 · Oct 12, 2015

nono said:
Yes, that may have not been so originally. But yes, it is what it is now (at least earlier today!)

The part that's actually closed is near Manning. However, they use the nearest interstates which are farther apart, to redirect through traffic. Before this horrible event, SC had some of the most unstable/under-maintained bridges in the East. I imagine a lot of the artery roads' bridges are all a big question mark to SC DOT at the moment. Sooo, while there may be a viable shorter route, until they verify the bridges along those routes, they won't release a detour route using anything but the interstates. It's really a daunting task for the DOT. I don't envy them.

Good info and good analysis.

To be sure, we're very interested since we depart before the end of this month. However, if we have to take a three-mile detour, so be it: there are many folks in SC who are dealing with much more than a traffic detour.

All the best! :thumbsup2

BC1836 · Oct 12, 2015

ABC News this morning:

9:45 a.m.

Interstate 95, the main East Coast interstate linking Maine to Miami, is reopening in South Carolina more than a week after a 16-mile stretch of the expressway was closed because of flooding.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation says that the southbound lanes on the stretch through a low-lying area in the middle of the state reopened at 8 a.m. Monday. The northbound lanes are expected to reopen later Monday or early Tuesday.

The busy interstate had been closed as workers repaired 13 small bridges damaged in the floods. The department says that 4,000 man hours were expended on the work.

While the highway was closed, drivers had to take a 170-mile detour through Columbia instead of the normal 75-mile drive on I-95 between Interstate 26 and Interstate 20. The added I-95 traffic often caused traffic jams on I-26 southeast of Columbia.

All the best! :thumbsup2

disneysteve · Oct 12, 2015

BC1836 said:
Interstate 95, the main East Coast interstate linking Maine to Miami, is reopening in South Carolina more than a week after a 16-mile stretch of the expressway was closed because of flooding.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation says that the southbound lanes on the stretch through a low-lying area in the middle of the state reopened at 8 a.m. Monday. The northbound lanes are expected to reopen later Monday or early Tuesday.

Awesome news! Thanks for sharing that.

BC1836 · Oct 12, 2015

Welcome, new long distance drivers to THE thread that's got you covered.

Over 1,300,000 views to date (see all-time records on page 1)!

All the best! :thumbsup2

nono · Oct 12, 2015

BC1836 said:
ABC News this morning:

The busy interstate had been closed as workers repaired 13 small bridges damaged in the floods. The department says that 4,000 man hours were expended on the work.

This part is remarkable. Basically, if ABC has it right, 13 weren't in question. 13 were damaged. On I 95! Hats off to SC DOT on that type of turnaround time.

Thanks BC for the latest on this. You da man!

CookieGVB · Oct 12, 2015

Read the happy news on another thread, too. So happy - we leave next week

wdw4lif · Oct 12, 2015

We leave in 3 weeks. Heading from Iowa to Florida. We're planning 2 days worth - First day we'd like to go 12-13 hours, then the next day will be about 6-7 hours... We were going to go through Nashville, then down through Atlanta, and catch a hotel room just south of there. HOWEVER, we are now seriously considering going through Alabama after Nashville.

Thoughts on this? My parents love going this way to miss the mountains for the most part & Atlanta.
Also trying to figure out a place to stop in Alabama - I would assume somewhere around Montgomery/Troy area?
Any GOOD hotels? We're expecting to pay around $100 for a night.

Thanks in advance!

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