Hurricane evacuation exercise will begin Thursday

The lane reversal exercise will last all day ThursdayLive5 News

In the lead up to hurricane season, authorities will be posted along several Lowcountry highways as they participate in a lane reversal exercise.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety says no traffic lanes will actually be reversed during this exercise, but personnel and equipment from the SCDPS, the South Carolina Department of Transportation and other state agencies will be part of the exercise.

The exercise will begin at 8 a.m.Thursday and the SCDPS says it will be over by 3 p.m. the same day.

The roads involved in the evacuation training exercise will include I-26, U.S. Highways 501, 278, and 21 as well as S.C. Highway 544, the SCDPS says.

Hurrican lane reversal exercise beginsLive5 News

Motorists are asked to use caution and be aware that law enforcement officers and state personnel will be located on the shoulder of the highway and at exits.

Hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30 and authorities say this hurricane evacuation exercise is designed to test lane reversal plans.

According to Live5 News, the SCDPS says the exercise should not interfere with the flow of traffic.

Trooper 1st Class Nick Pye says the annual lane reversal exercise used a new exit this year compared to previous years.

“We’ve seen it more effective, based off of in the past, that the amount of people evacuating it might be easier and less stressful for the public to evacuate using this route instead of going deeper into North Charleston and Charleston,” Pye said.

Pye also did not rule out the possibility of beginning the lane reversal at I-526 like previous years and said that it would depend on the size and category of the storm.

The annual training allows crews with the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the Highway Patrol to improve on their response.

Follow me to see more articles like this.

...

Follow