Extending road will eliminate rail crossing in South Carolina

A CSX intermodal train derailed yesterday morning near Auburn, Ind.

David C. Lester

It has taken two decades to come up with a final solution for a railroad crossing in Hanahan, S.C., but the project is about to kick off.

With the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), CSX and the Army Corps of Engineers coming up with a solution, the Railroad Avenue extension project is expected to begin in March. A Notice of Proceed date will be issued by SCDOT to the contractor in mid-February with a preconstruction meeting occurring later.

Extending Railroad Avenue from the intersection of Mabeline Road and Eagle Landing Boulevard will create a north-south connection of Hanahan without motorists having to enter Rivers Avenue and cross the railroad tracks, which are owned by CSX, twice.

The new roadway will be built along the eastern side of the existing tracks. School buses using Mabeline Road and Eagle Landing Boulevard from Rivers Avenue will not have to cross the railroad tracks.

The road extension also will improve access to nearby neighborhoods and schools because there will be a more direct link. The project also will enhance community cohesion on the eastern side of the CSX railway right of way.

The project is expected to cost about $14 million, with $4 million coming from federal funds and the rest provided by a Berkeley County sales tax.

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