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Let us take a moment to appreciate that the I-20 widening in Lexington county has mercifully been completed. After starting in the spring of 2016 it was set to be finished in the fall of 2019. Nearly 3 years after the initial set completion date, SCDOT has finished this engineering feat of widening 11 miles of road and rebuilding 2 bridges.
6 years to widen 11 miles of road from 2 lanes to 3 lanes, , that contractor should be banned from all future SCDOT projects!
Well, I guess they didn't get that completion bonus for finishing the project early.
I have always thought that the median of 77 and 277 could be used for rail.. The caveat for SC versus the Northeast Corridor would be.. that it could serve both passenger and freight with passenger being the priority. You wonder with this caveat if that would incentive a public private partnership with one of the existing railroads or even another operator..? The average speed of a freight train between Columbia and Charlotte is probably 40 to 50 mph if they could get up to 60 or 70 mph how does that improve their operating cost delivery time? It would be nuts to build a high speed rail network and no include freight.. since it could certainly use it late/overnight when most high speed passenger trains are not in service
Norfolk Southern already has a Columbia to Charlotte route that meanders from here up to Blythewood crossing 77 at Exit 19, I believe, then up to Ridgeway and crossing 77 at the 34 over to Winnsboro then Chester and Rock Hill crossing 77 near the Dave Lyle exit (82) and again in Charlotte in two spots to the Charlotte yard where Amtrak is also located. They only run maybe four trains daily as well as an as needed grain train to Monetta. Chester is a busy spot where they meet the Lancaster and Chester RR. Columbia to Charlotte is not a mail line for NS. Atlanta to Charlotte is.
In the 90s, they ran a train with Amtrak locomotives and passenger cars train to get South Carolina leaders interested in a daily Charlotte to Columbia route down the NS line to go along with the three times daily Charlotte to Raliegh train. This being South Carolina, that idea quickly derailed. I cannot imagine a scenario where a new track in built down the middle of 77 from Charlotte. The cost would be astronomical.
Let us take a moment to appreciate that the I-20 widening in Lexington county has mercifully been completed. After starting in the spring of 2016 it was set to be finished in the fall of 2019. Nearly 3 years after the initial set completion date, SCDOT has finished this engineering feat of widening 11 miles of road and rebuilding 2 bridges.
Is it all cleared out now? No construction signs or Jersey Barricades?
I don't know how it works, but how did the contractor make any money on this project? Anyway, thank God they're done. Now we get to struggle on 26 for the next ten years plus, if I live that long. Happy birthday America.
Norfolk Southern already has a Columbia to Charlotte route that meanders from here up to Blythewood crossing 77 at Exit 19, I believe, then up to Ridgeway and crossing 77 at the 34 over to Winnsboro then Chester and Rock Hill crossing 77 near the Dave Lyle exit (82) and again in Charlotte in two spots to the Charlotte yard where Amtrak is also located. They only run maybe four trains daily as well as an as needed grain train to Monetta. Chester is a busy spot where they meet the Lancaster and Chester RR. Columbia to Charlotte is not a mail line for NS. Atlanta to Charlotte is.
In the 90s, they ran a train with Amtrak locomotives and passenger cars train to get South Carolina leaders interested in a daily Charlotte to Columbia route down the NS line to go along with the three times daily Charlotte to Raliegh train. This being South Carolina, that idea quickly derailed. I cannot imagine a scenario where a new track in built down the middle of 77 from Charlotte. The cost would be astronomical.
Yeah it couldnt be done just to connect Columbia to Charlotte.. It would have to be done as part of a highspeed rail network along the East Coast.. Unfortunately that train has left the station that route will be connecting Charlotte with Atlanta to the NE Corridor. The only benefit is they wouldnt have to acquire much rights of way as the median is already owned by SCDOT so property acquisition would be minimal at least that stretch.
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, that contractor should be banned from all future SCDOT projects! 
