Asheville to Columbia I-26

[Travlingman]

Going to be going through Asheville, NC to Columbia, SC on I-26 to catch I-20 toward Myrtle Beach. I know there is construction in Asheville on I-26 and outside Columbia. Has anyone been through lately and how bad is it? I know the last time through Asheville they were trying to get the roughest road in the country award and deserved it. Going through on Friday morning. Was looking at alternative routes to take to miss I-26 if it is needed.

[haste_maker]

Check the WASE app before you start.

[ken56]

Went through 4 weeks ago and we must have been lucky or something because there were no serious delays in either place but that was on a Sunday. Traffic flowed at a good pace. Went through Asheville around 9:30am and the one north of Columbia around 2pm or so. It was worse on the way home outside of Asheville but that was closer to 4pm when we went through on a Wednesday.

[wildtoad]

Just came back from Asheville on that very route. They have made some strides on the section near Asheville but still needs a few more years. They have smoothed out some of the bone jarring sections. Seems it’s been going on forever. The construction between Chapin and Columbia on 26 can get slow and now is about the best time to go through as they are also about to start a decade long project to address the awful I20/I26/I126 interchange affectionately known as Malfunction Junction.

The only way I know to avoid all the work going on around Columbia involves back roads from I26 to I77 then to I20, or backroads from I26 to I20. All will be less stressful but longer. I start looking at going from Prosperity to Blythewood or Dentsville avoiding interstates. There just not a lot of bridges across the rivers.