South
Carolina Department of Public Safety
June 5, 2009
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8409
HURRICANE LANE REVERSAL
EXERCISES, JUNE 11, 2009
This hurricane evacuation exercise is designed to
test lane reversal plans for Interstate 26, U.S. 21, U.S. 278, U.S. 501 and S.C.
544 in the event of a mandatory coastal evacuation order. Personnel and
equipment from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the South
Carolina Department of Transportation, State Law Enforcement Division, South
Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the South Carolina Department of
Probation, Parole and Pardons will participate in the exercise.
The exercise will simulate reversal operations on
U.S. 278 and U.S. 21. No deployment of equipment or personnel will
be made on these roads leading out of Hilton Head and Beaufort. SCDOT equipment
will be stationed near the traffic circle at S.C. 46 and S.C. 170 in the
Bluffton area and along U.S. 278 from Almenda to
Law enforcement personnel and traffic control
devices will be deployed on Interstate-26 from
the intersection of I-526 and I-26 in
Traffic control equipment and personnel will be
stationed on U.S. 501 beginning at S.C. 544 and ending at U.S. 378 as well as
between S.C. 22 and the Marion By-Pass.
Aerial units from SLED, the Civil Air Patrol,
South Carolina National Guard and the South Carolina Forestry Commission will be
flying assigned aerial surveillance routes. SCDOT will also deploy Incident
Response Vehicles.
LANES WILL
NOT BE REVERSED AS A PART OF THE EXERCISE
The exercise should not interfere with the flow of
traffic. Intersections will not be blocked, and motorists will be allowed to
move freely. However, the Highway Patrol cautions motorists traveling I-26, U.S.
501, and S.C. 544 as well as U.S. 278 in Hampton County and SC 46 and SC
170 in the Bluffton area to exercise due caution and be aware that law
enforcement officers and state personnel will be located on the shoulder of the
highway and at exits. The exercise will last from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.