U.S. 301 open for motorists, finally

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U.S. 301 between Manning and Turbeville was unpassable in three separate areas for more than a year-and-a-half.

To be exact, residents and motorists traveling between the two Clarendon towns had to take alternate routes for 579 days. For 82 weeks and five days, the state Department of Transportation rebuilt three bridges and fixed another area that washed out on the highway during the 1,000-year-flood that hit Clarendon County in early October 2015.

Residents joyfully reported on social media Thursday evening that they were traveling the road, which suffered failure after more than two feet of rain fell in a little more than 24 hours Oct. 2 and 3, 2015.

"We're very happy to have this road back up for the community," said state Department of Transportation Engineering District 7 Administrator Kevin Gant. "Having the road and bridges out had a terrible impact on the community, so we're proud to open it up."

Assistant Administrator Jeff Terry admitted, however, at the 2 p.m. ceremony that the road might not be open to the public entirely by even Thursday evening.

"We are hopeful that the rain will hold off, and we can get it open this evening, but we still have to get the guardrails up and get some other minor details in place," he said.

Luckily for Clarendon County residents who were exhausted from alternate routes, state Department of Transportation employees were able to get those finishing touches completed.