State agencies to conduct full-scale hurricane evacuation exercise Wednesday

 CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — Multiple agencies are set to test how prepared the state is to reverse highways in three major coastal areas should an evacuation be needed during the 2025 hurricane season.

 State and local agencies will conduct a full-scale exercise on Wednesday, June 4, to test lane reversal plans on I-26, U.S. 21, U.S. 278, U.S. 501, and S.C. 544. The drill will last from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

No traffic lanes will be reversed or closed during the drill, but drivers should expect to see equipment, state personnel, and more law enforcement officers staged along the shoulder of the highway and at exits.

The Civil Air Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and South Carolina Forestry Commission will also be conducting aerial surveillance.

“These exercises help ensure that we are prepared to respond to a hurricane threatening our state,” said Robert G. Woods IV, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety director. “Together with our state partners, we remain ready to quickly and efficiently move residents and visitors from the coast to the Midlands in the event that a mandatory evacuation order is given.”

Locally, lane reversal begins near mile marker 197 (Nexton Parkway) and I-26 in Charleston toward I-77 and I-26 in Columbia.

Officials said the exercise should not disrupt traffic flow as intersections will not be blocked, and drivers will be able to travel freely.

Forecasters are gearing up for a busy Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs through the end of September, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration putting the chance of an above-normal season at 60%.

The agency’s outlook predicts a range of 13 to 19 named storms, six to 10 of which could become hurricanes. Three to five are forecast to become major hurricanes, with winds of 111 mph or higher.

“Forecasts are pointing to an active hurricane season,” said South Carolina Emergency Management Division Director Kim Stenson. “Hurricane Helene was a reminder that it only takes one storm to cause major impacts for South Carolina. It’s critical for everyone — not only people who live along the coast — to review and practice their hurricane plans now.

You can download Storm Team 2’s Hurricane Ready Guide to find vital information about how to keep your family and property safe throughout the 2025 season.