Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Ben Sawyer Bridge (SC 703) be closed to traffic?

I am planning a trip up the Intracoastal Waterway and am wondering if there is a change to the bridge opening schedule? Please let me know what the current schedule is and the preferred hailing channel.

When did work on the Ben Sawyer Bridge Rehabilitation begin and when is it expected to be completed?

Is the alignment for Ben Sawyer (SC 703) going to change with the rehabilitation of the bridge?

What is going to happen to the old center section of the bridge?

Is painting or cleaning being done to the cement piers?

How will bicycles be accomodated on the rehabilitated bridge?

How was the decision made to rehabilitate the existing bridge rather than build a new one?

Is the Ben Sawyer Bridge being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)?

How can I get a speaker to come answer questions for my community organizations?

Who is the contractor rehabilitating the bridge?

When will the Ben Sawyer Bridge (SC 703) be closed to traffic?

The Ben Sawyer Bridge (SC 703) was closed between Sunday, February 7 and February 19, 2010 to enable crews to move the old bridge out of the way and move the new bridge into place. Now that the new bridge is in place, no other construction related closures are anticipated.

How can I find out about lane closures?

To minimize traffic flow disruptions to traffic flow on and off of Sullivan’s Island the contract for rehabilitating the Ben Sawyer Bridge requires crews to limit activities which will either reduce traffic to one lane or close the roadway. While occasional closures are allowed, these closures are to be minimal and short in duration.

If any single lane closures are necessary, they will be done between the hours of 9PM to 5AM with notification through local media and on this website of at least 48 hours notice.

The rehabilitated Ben Sawyer Bridge is now fully functional. Openings for vessels traveling along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway under the bridge have returned to normal opening schedule with openings on demand weekdays except between 7am and 9am and 4 pm and 6pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, openings are usually on the hour between 9am and 7 pm and on demand at other times. Special vessels are exempt from this opening schedule. The preferred hailing channel for the Ben Sawyer Bridge is Channel 9.

When did work on the Ben Sawyer Bridge Rehabilitation begin and when is it expected to be completed?

Construction for the Ben Sawyer Bridge Rehabilitation project began on February 17, 2009 with an expected completion of May 2010.

Is the alignment for Ben Sawyer (SC 703) going to change with the rehabilitation of the bridge?

The alignment for the rehabilitated bridge has not changed from the original alignment beyond the fact that the new bridge is slightly wider than the old bridge.

What is going to happen to the old center section of the bridge?

As soon as the ten day (236 hour) closure began, the contractor took ownership of the existing swingspan bridge and its approaches. The swing span portion of the bridge is being recycled as scrap steel.

Is painting or cleaning being done to the cement piers?

The cement piers are painted and cleaned as needed, but a special painting or cleaning job was not included in the work expected by the design/build contractor for the bridge rehabilitation.

How was the decision made to rehabilitate the existing bridge rather than build a new one?

Hurricane Hugo and new national bridge standards led the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to address the aging Ben Sawyer span and review hurricane evacuation options for the east cooper islands. The review led SCDOT to build a fixed span hurricane evacuation route from the Isle of Palms, opening the Isle of Palms Connector in 1993.

Community input at public hearings reinforced the desire to maintain the Ben Sawyer Bridge’s aesthetic appearance and current right of way. The SCDOT chose to rehabilitate the truss and approach superstructures and bring in a comparable structure within the right of way under a design/build contract that was signed in the fall of 2008 with construction beginning in January 2009.

Is the Ben Sawyer Bridge being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)?

No, the rehabilitation of the Ben Sawyer Bridge is being completely funded by Federal Highway Administration’s funds. It’s funding was determined well before congress’ approval of the ARRA in February of 2009.

How can I get a speaker to come answer questions for my community organizations?

We are more than happy to send a speaker to one of your upcoming meetings. Just send us a request via email, with your mail, address, phone numbers, organization, and a general overview of your interest areas. We will reply to your request with a phone call or reply to your e-mail to determine the best meeting time.

Who is the contractor rehabilitating the bridge?

A design and construction team led by PCL Civil Constructors, Inc. was awarded the design/build contract for this project.