Hearing on I-26 Median Tree Removal Plan Postponed

A hearing on the proposed median clearing and guardrail project on I-26 in Berkeley and Dorchester counties has been postponed.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation announced the postponement Friday afternoon. The hearing had been scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 1 in Summerville, according to an SCDOT statement.

Opposition to the plan proposed by SCDOT to remove trees in the median of the portion of I-26 that runs through Berkeley and Dorchester counties, known as the "Death Zone" due to the high number of wrecks along that stretch of highway, emerged earlier this week at a Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments meeting when Rep. Mark Sanford and State Sen. Larry Grooms both spoke in defense of keeping the trees.

"With the outcome of the meeting this week with the BCD COG and the establishment of the ad-hoc committee reviewing the proposed project, we will be delaying the public hearing until a clear project plan can be developed and presented to the public," Director of Traffic Engineering Tony Sheppard said. "SCDOT looks forward to working with the COG’s committee to seek alternative solutions that can be put before the public for review."

A new date for the hearing has not yet been announced.