More miles of I-95 in SC closed due to flooding

More miles of northbound Interstate 95 in South Carolina, just south of the North Carolina line, have been closed due to flooding from Hurricane Florence, the S.C. Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

The closed northbound stretch now runs about 17 miles, from about mile marker 181 to mile marker 198, the Transportation Department said. On Monday, only 9 miles of northbound I-95 in South Carolina were closed, from mile marker 181 to mile marker 190.

S.C. officials could offer no time line on when the closed sections of I-95 might reopen.

“We are currently conducting underwater inspections of the bridges in that area to determine if it is safe to reopen,” said state Transportation Director Christy Hall. “So we are out there and are currently trying to get it reopened as quickly as we can.”

In North Carolina, transportation officials Tuesday continued advising motorists who ordinarily might take southbound I-95 from Virginia to South Carolina that flooding has made long sections of I-95 in North Carolina impassable.

I-95, which goes from Maine to Florida, travels through low-lying plains in eastern South and North Carolina. Hurricane Florence’s torrential rains have flooded much of the area and washed over sections of numerous roads, including the interstate.

In South Carolina, just south of the North Carolina border, I-95 travels through especially low-lying swamp land, and over the Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee rivers.

Road conditions can change hourly and for the latest information, motorists are advised to check with the departments of transportation and highway patrols of each state.

This story was originally published September 18, 2018 at 1:16 PM with the headline "More miles of I-95 in SC closed due to flooding."