The Trans-Carolina Corridor (TCC) is one of 10 corridors that the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has listed for intrastate travel. SCDOT's goal is to study these corridors to identify deficiencies and suggest recommendations for connector corridors to improve access to Interstates, major four-lane highways and utilize other existent corridors for alternate travel. This is in coordination with other Strategic Highway Corridors in neighboring North Carolina and Georgia to address future traffic needs.
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Background
The TCC is the following routes: South Carolina Highway 9 (SC 9) from the North Carolina state line to Bennettsville at SC 38. From that point, the TCC will follow SC 38 to US Highway 501 (US 501) near Marion and finally, US 501 to Myrtle Beach. The corridor is 247 miles (398 km) long and the current level of service generally stays at level C until east of Marion, where it reaches Level F, the worst level of service grading.
Criteria
For all of the corridors, SCDOT will look at the following:
North Carolina to Interstate 77
From the state-line to Spartanburg, SC 9 remains as a local route and will not see any improvements except widening projects in and around Spartanburg.
From Spartanburg to Interstate 77 (I-77), SCDOT recommends access control and roadway improvements such as shoulders, to the existing roadway. No connectors have been identified as well as any recommendations for widening projects or bypasses.
Interstate 77 to Pageland
In Pageland, SCDOT plans widen SC 9 to four lanes from SC 151 to SC 265. This project has been identified in the Pee Dee Council of Governments Long Range Plan. This project will supplement SC 151 from north–south travel from Monroe, North Carolina, to Darlington. This project is listed as Connector C-1.
Pageland to Chesterfield
Pee Dee Council of Governments identifies SC 9 for a four-lane widening project.
Chesterfield to Bennettsville
Pee Dee Council of Governments currently has no specific projects identified for SC 9 improvements.
A different corridor utilizing US 401 from North Carolina to I-20 uses Connectors C-2 through C-7 which are US 15/401 from Bennettsville to I-20 in Bishopville. Then, uses I-20 to Florence, Business I-20 to US 76, through Florence and rejoins the TCC and US 501 east of Marion. These connectors are to provide Interstate access and other alternative travel modes along the TCC as well as improving road connections between the North Carolina and South Carolina Sandhills in between the corridors for I-77 to the west and I-95 to the east.
Bennettsville to Marion
Should I-73 be completed, the priority status may be lowered. Therefore, SC 38 will remain as a four-lane arterial from US 15/401 to US 501. This is because Interstate travel will be completed from Rockingham, North Carolina, to Marion using I-73 where traffic currently will no longer need to use NC 38 from US 74, continuing as SC 38 towards US 501.
Marion to Myrtle Beach
East of US 76 to Myrtle Beach has identified transportation issues such as turn lanes and improving signalized intersections. Connectors C-8 and C-9 are identified following SC 544 from US 501 to SC 707 at US 17.