I-95 reopening after South Carolina rainstorm

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The latest on the flooding from a rainstorm that pounded South Carolina (all times local):

9:45 a.m.

Interstate 95, the main East Coast interstate linking Maine to Miami, is reopening in South Carolina more than a week after a 16-mile stretch of the expressway was closed because of flooding.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation says that the southbound lanes on the stretch through a low-lying area in the middle of the state reopened at 8 a.m. Monday. The northbound lanes are expected to reopen later Monday or early Tuesday.

The busy interstate had been closed as workers repaired 13 small bridges damaged in the floods. The department says that 4,000 man hours were expended on the work.

While the highway was closed, drivers had to take a 170-mile detour through Columbia instead of the normal 75-mile drive on I-95 between Interstate 26 and Interstate 20. The added I-95 traffic often caused traffic jams on I-26 southeast of Columbia.

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7:40 a.m.

Rain-swollen rivers in eastern South Carolina are beginning to recede after this month’s historic rains.

The National Weather Service on Monday reports that the Waccamaw River at Conway is now at 15.9 feet, down from 16.2 feet over the weekend. But still there is major flooding in the area where flood stage is 11 feet.

The Santee River near Jamestown is now at about 21 feet, down a foot from over the weekend. There is still moderate flooding in the area where flood stage is 10 feet.

And in Orangeburg, the north fork of the Edisto River is back down to 8 feet. That’s flood stage in the area. But with weekend rains, that river is expected to rise again, cresting at over 9 feet by Thursday, causing minor flooding.

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6:35 a.m.

Transportation officials in South Carolina say more than 300 roads and bridges are still closed more than a week after flooding rains across much of the state.

The agency said parts of 224 roads were still closed early Monday.

The report also said 98 bridges remained closed because of damage or worries that bridge supports might be damaged.

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