The widening and improvement project of an 11-mile portion of I-20, southwest of Lexington, in Lexington County has been completed, according to a release from the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

The interstate was expanded from four to six lanes from marker 60.6 west of US 378 (Sunset Blvd.) to mile marker 49.8 west of Longs Pond Rd. A new bridge was also built over the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line. During construction the stretch of interstate was the source of congestion and traffic slowdowns. The $99 million project also involved the construction of a mile-long section of a noise wall

The widening project was conducted to ease congestion and promote a safer commute.

Construction began in the fall of 2016. The project consisted of constructing new Portland cement concrete pavement median travel lanes with reconstruction of existing lanes. Crews expected to place 180,000 cubic yards of new Portland cement concrete pavement in the new median lanes and reconstruction areas. Also part of the project: 36,100 linear feet of a concrete median barrier; and the removal of over 325,000 square yards of existing concrete pavement.