rose.lexchron@gmail.com

Anyone who travels in Lexington County knows the nightmare waiting at Malfunction Junction.

That’s where Interstates 20, 26, and 126 are knotted together.

From Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2014, 2,370 crashes were reported along I-26. These crashes occured most often during peak morning and afternoon rush hours and in the early afternoon.

State officials say they want to fix that.

The SC Department of Transportation will host a Carolina Crossroads public hearing Thursday, Aug. 23, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Columbia Conference Center, 169 Laurelhurst Ave., Columbia.

The purpose is to hear comments on the proposed solution to fix Malfunction Junction and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

You can find the full impact statement at

www.scdotcarolinacrossroads.com

The meeting will be an open house format.

SCDOT also encourages the public to send comments or questions before the hearing. Public comments may be posted to the project website: SCDOTCarolinaCrossroads.com .

The Carolina Crossroads I-20/26/126 Corridor Improvement Project is the No. 1 statewide interstate priority. When completed, the project is expected to reduce traffic congestion and accidents.

The interstate corridor -- initially developed in the 1950s and ‘60s with improvements during the ‘70s and ‘80s -- does not meet current traffic demands. This interchange exceeds the average for Fatal and Severe Injury (FSI) crashes

Population in the region is projected to increase an average of 70% between now and 2040.

Employment is expected to increase by over 11%, according to the Central Midlands Council of Governments. This will increase traffic over the next 22 years.