LAKE WACCAMAW – Another section of U.S. 74/76 in Columbus County will be upgraded to interstate standards.
Under a new contract, the highway's intersection with Chauncey Town Road will be converted into an interchange with a bridge and ramps; and the Old Lake Road intersection, which is 1.3 miles away, will be converted into an overpass. The improvements will boost highway safety and traffic flow.
The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded the $44 million bid to BMCO Construction Inc. of Lumberton on July 5. Other highlights of this project include:
- Roundabouts will be built at each on/off ramp on Chauncey Town Road;
- The rest of Georgia Road will be repaved with wider lanes and shoulders, creating a new service road; and
- A roundabout will be built at Chauncey Town Road and N.C. 214 to more safely and efficiently accommodate the increase in traffic the new interchange will generate in town.
Construction can begin next month, and the contractor has until the summer of 2025 to complete all of the improvements.
Currently, drivers on Chauncey Town or Old Lake Road must stop and can enter the highway when it's safe to do so. Last year, the NCDOT converted these two junctions into reduced conflict intersections, which redirect drivers into turning right onto the highway, to improve safety until the permanent changes under the new contract can be built.