BLYTHEWOOD – The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) announced earlier this year that it would close Lorick Road bridge over North Branch Creek near Blythewood for repairs beginning Jan. 5. It was expected to reopen on Jan. 22.
The Lorick Road bridge has since been deemed structurally deficient and needs to be replaced according to SCDOT officials.
Currently, the bridge is not unsafe for regular vehicular traffic but has an existing load limit posted.
State officials are proposing a bridge replacement over the North Branch and the construction of a new roadway to meet current design and safety standards.
In addition to replacing the bridge over North Branch, SCDOT also proposes to add a 2-foot paved and 4-foot grassed shoulders along the road’s 11-foot travel lanes.
SCDOT wants to hear from those who live in the community and use the bridge.
So that SCDOT can share information and accept public comments about the proposed replacement of the Lorick Road (S-1436), it has scheduled a drop-in for the public, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 9.
The meeting will be held in the fellowship hall at Fair Lawn United Methodist Church, located at 9203 Wilson Blvd. SCDOT officials will be on hand to speak to attendees and answer questions about the proposed project.
During the construction phase of the project, traffic would be detoured along US-321/Winnsboro Road to Koon Store Road to US-21/Wilson Boulevard.
To accommodate those wishing to speak to the issue but are unable to attend the drop-in, SCDOT will accept written comments on this project through April 30, 2026. For more information, visit the project webpage.