In 2019, after reviewing traffic studies for the Lowcountry Rapid Transit project, Charleston County identified that the 3 intersections at Hwy 78 at College Park Road, Hwy 78 at Ladson Road, and Ladson Road at College Park Road are key to traffic delays experienced in the corridor. The traffic study included four alternatives consisting of multiple configurations to help alleviate current congestion experienced at these intersections and a traffic analysis was performed to review each configuration. Alternative 4 was selected as the Preferred Alternative for the Ladson/College Park Intersection and it will be evaluated in more detail as part of the Hwy 78 project design.
When comparing the Level of Service (LOS) between a three-lane section (consisting of two travel lanes and a two-way center turn lane) from Berlin G. Myers to the Fairgrounds (Alternative 2) and a five-lane section (with four travel lanes and a two-way center turn lane) in the same area (Alternatives 3 and 4), the three-lane section exhibits better performance and experiences less decline in the later year (2049) as analyzed in the traffic study. While a five-lane section would offer additional capacity, it also is shown to attract more traffic to the corridor for users from the Summerville area to access I-26 and points east.