Should I-85 be widened through Greenville?

[GvilleSC]

I've read numerous people claim that this should take place, but I thought I'd see what other people thought, too.

The interstate is wide enough (bridges' spans, barriers and such), all that would need to take place is the resurfacing (I assume- to get rid of the grooves in the emergency lanes) and painting of lines.

Everyday rush hour traffic backs up just because. No wrecks just a lot of people trying to get home or just pass through. The resources are in place, they just need minor detailing and it's complete. We can stay ahead or wait until it gets worse.

I posted this here because 85 is used by a lot of people from out of the state. This will reflect our state's control over growth and its planning.

[krazeeboi]

Even though I haven't driven down I-85 through Greenville during rush hour, the times I have driven it, it seemed fine to me. The last time was this past Wednesday around 3:30pm; didn't really see a major need to widen it. It seems like its wide enough to me.

[GvilleSC]

Even though I haven't driven down I-85 through Greenville during rush hour, the times I have driven it, it seemed fine to me. The last time was this past Wednesday around 3:30pm; didn't really see a major need to widen it. It seems like its wide enough to me.

Well I think that if it was that busy during 3:30, then I'd say it way over due for an expansion!

[krazeeboi]

But I didn't think it was overly busy at all during that time. I think it's wide enough already.

[motonenterprises]

3:30 is not I-85 or Greenville's rush hour period. It is its worse around 5 pm. Widening it to look towards the future wouldn't hurt. Exits 54 to 51 on 85 are stop and go at this time, no accidents. So yes!

[krazeeboi]

I think that a regional transit system should have priority over widening I-85 at this point. With all that's going on in Greenville right now, this should at least be in the planning stages.

[tooluther]

I'm much rather 153 be extended so there can be a bypass of Easley on 123 that ISN'T I-85!!! I never take 85 to get into Greenville anymore on my twice weekly commutes in from Clemson.

[GvilleSC]

I'm much rather 153 be extended so there can be a bypass of Easley on 123 that ISN'T I-85!!! I never take 85 to get into Greenville anymore on my twice weekly commutes in from Clemson.

Well, the main problem areas are mostly north of the city of Greenville- past 385. The interstate as a whole throughout Greater Greenville is crowded, but the main concern areas are around Pelham Rd.

[otherdude]

With all of the development along 85- ICAR, Verdae, Woodruff Rd (always growing), Greer... More and more strain is just going to be put onto the interstate. More people will be taking it to work as they head to ICAR or the Global Trade Park, or the Millinium Campus, or as they work at Verdae or as they go home to Verdae. It seems logical to me! And like Gvillesc mentioned, it's not really widening, it's just remarking the lines!

[krazeeboi]

Welcome to the forum otherdude.

[Spartan]

I think 85 should be widened, but only becuase of the reasons otherdude stated. (welcome to the forum, btw!)

When you construct roads, you do not build them to handle the peak capacity (meanign rush hour) because that is only a few hours each day. The roads are ideally constructed so that the daily traffic can flow without alot of congestion. Some places so this relatively well, and other do not.

With the new developments and the obvious dependency on the interstate by these developments, it leems logical to go ahead and expand them now becuase its going to take another 7-9 years before they are done, and by then these projects will be filling up or completed, and hopefully with more of them on the way.

[goodbye]

But I didn't think it was overly busy at all during that time. I think it's wide enough already.

You don't drive it everyday, so you're coming from an outsider's viewpoint. When I-85 was widened awhile back, it was designed to have 8 lanes going all the way through Greenville, but only 6-7 lanes were marked at that time. This really disturbed me because of the obvious growth that had been taking place for quite awhile. Now I think we're in that period when having the 8 lanes would be an important benefit. There are many exits where traffic is easily bottlenecked and accidents occur as a result, doubling the problem. That interstate is a major truck route, and at times becomes very unsafe to attempt maneuvering.

[GSP Tiger]

Yes, 85 should be widened from six to eight lanes. It could possibly run from Exit 40 (SC 153) to Exit 69 (Business 85). The strectch from US 276 Laurens Road (Exit 48) to Pelham Road (Exit 54) requires dire improvements. Exit 48 needs out of the full cloverleaf. Exit 54 needs an upgrade to a SPUI. Exit 51 is a nightmare; widening 385 to six lanes through Mauldin and an upgrade to a four level stacked interchange would be great, but Woodruff Rd needs some work.