Traffic lanes on Interstate 20 in Lexington County will be shifted starting this weekend.

The shift will take place on part of an 11-mile section of I-20 that’s being widened to three lanes on the eastbound and westbound sides. The split starts at the 53.5 mile marker and ends at the 60 mile marker.

When the shift goes into effect, once a vehicle gets into the left lane, it will have to stay in that that lane until the end of the lane shift (or until there are no concrete dividers.)

Click to see SCDOT animation of I-20 traffic shift

Motorists traveling eastbound to SC-6 (South Lake Drive) or US-1 (Augusta Road) in Lexington will need to be in the right-hand lane when the shift begins so they can get off at the proper exits.

The shift is being implemented so construction crews can work on the outside lanes. Signs will be in place to warn drivers when the shift will begin. The new traffic flow will not affect westbound travelers toward Augusta. But next year the shift will be incorporated in the westbound lanes.

According to a SCDOT press release: “This shift will split the eastbound motorists into two separate lanes of traffic bordered by concrete barriers. The right lane will travel adjacent to the eastbound lanes and will be able to access all existing exits. The left lane will travel adjacent to the westbound lanes and will bypass the exits to SC-6 and US-1, but will have access to the US-378 exit.”

Six miles of barrier walls will be moved during the and it will take three days to complete the shift the traffic pattern. The shift will be in effect for almost a year for eastbound traffic.

Rumble strips, cameras, and speed detectors that will be implemented to help control traffic flow.

Completion date for the $102 million project is the fall of 2021. It began The project began in 2016.