South Carolina troopers practice hurricane evacuation lane reversals

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Highway Patrol and other agencies plan to practice reversing lanes for hurricane evacuations.

Troopers say they will not actually reverse any lanes during Thursday's practice. Troopers and others will be on the sides of the highways during the exercises, which are expected to go from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday.

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Practice will happen on Interstate 26 in Charleston and Columbia; on U.S. Highways 21 and 278 near Beaufort and Hilton Head Island; and on U.S. Highway 501 and state Highway 544 in Horry County.

Emergency officials have had plenty of real-world experience recently. The governor ordered hurricane evacuations and lane reversals in each of the past three years - for Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Florence in 2018.

Associated Press