MEDIA: If you would like to speak with a trooper during this exercise, please call the Highway Patrol Media Line at 803-896-8144 and request an interview before Tuesday, June 3, at 5 p.m.
COLUMBIA — The South Carolina Department of Public Safety and the South Carolina Department of Transportation, along with partners from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and other state and local agencies, will conduct a full-scale hurricane evacuation exercise on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, to test lane reversal plans for all three major coastal areas of the state. Hurricane season began June 1 and ends November 30. Please note that no traffic lanes will actually be reversed during this exercise.
This hurricane evacuation exercise, which will last from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., is designed to test lane reversal plans for Interstate 26, U.S. 21, U.S. 278, U.S. 501, and S.C. 544 in the event of a coastal evacuation order. Personnel and equipment from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety and the South Carolina Department of Transportation will be deployed. Additional support is provided by the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, the South Carolina Forestry Commission, the Civil Air Patrol and the South Carolina Army National Guard.
“This year, we continue our annual hurricane evacuation lane reversal exercise to test and maintain our operations and communications with the SC Department of Transportation and other state emergency response partners,” said SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV. “These exercises help ensure that we are prepared to respond to a hurricane threatening our state. 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 by the Governor.”
The exercise will simulate reversal operations on U.S. 278 and U.S. 21. The deployment of equipment and personnel will be made on these roads leading out of Hilton Head and Beaufort. SCDOT equipment will be stationed on U.S. 278 from Almeda to Hampton in Hampton County. Law enforcement personnel and traffic control devices will be deployed along Interstate 26 from the intersection of the 197 mm (Nexton Parkway) and I-26 in Charleston to I-77 and I-26 in Columbia. Traffic control equipment and personnel will be stationed on U.S. 501 beginning at S.C. 544 and ending at U.S. 378 as well as between S.C. 22 and the Marion By-Pass. The Civil Air Patrol, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the South Carolina Forestry Commission will be flying assigned aerial surveillance routes.
“Forecasts are pointing to an active hurricane season,” said SC 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.”
Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell expressed the importance of planning and preparation for potential hurricane evacuations:
"Our annual evacuation exercise remains a critical part of our preparedness efforts for hurricane season," said Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell. "Through close coordination with SCDPS and other partner agencies, SCDOT is committed to ensuring we are ready to respond quickly and effectively to protect the safety of all South Carolinians."
As a reminder, the exercise will not interfere with the flow of traffic. Intersections will NOT be blocked, and motorists will be allowed to move freely. However, the South Carolina Highway Patrol cautions motorists traveling I-26, U.S. 501, and S.C. 544 as well as U.S. 278 and U.S. 21 to exercise caution and be aware that law enforcement officers and state personnel will be located on the shoulder of the highway and at exits.
For more information about the upcoming hurricane season, visit the SC Emergency Management Division’s website: Hurricane.SC and download the SCEMD Emergency Manager app to stay up-to-date during hurricane season. View and download the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s 2025 Hurricane Guide.
Additional Resources
- Hurricane Traffic Management Information from the SC Emergency Management Division
- Know Your Route PSA from the SC Department of Public Safety
- Evacuation Routes from the SC Department of Transportation
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.