BLYTHEWOOD – Norfolk Southern Railroad has begun work on the U.S. Highway 21 rail spur that will cross over Highway 21, just below where the road intersects with Boomer Road. The spur will run west and travel over a proposed bridge over I-77 and on to the Scout plant.
The work currently consists of clearing a path for the rail spur which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
In September, construction will begin to realign Hwy. 21 to accommodate a new connector road from U.S. Highway 21 to the Scout plant.
According to SCDOT Project Engineer Brooks Bickley, the Hwy 21 realignment will be routed from just north of where the new rail spur will cross Hwy 21 near Boomer Road, then around the west side of the Dominion Electrical Substation, and southward through a wooded area to reconnect to Hwy 21 just below the substation.
The intersection of Farrow Road and Hwy 21 will also be relocated southward. Farrow Road will then tie in to Hwy 21 at about the same area where the realignment connects to Hwy 21 below the substation, Bickley said.
“Travelers from Exit 24 on I-77 driving north to Blythewood, will peel off to the left just before the substation and go around the substation, over the Norfolk Southern rail spur and then connect back to Hwy 21 in the area of Boomer Road,” Bikley said.
“While some of Hwy 21 will be removed when the realignment is complete, some of the Hwy 21 roadbed will be left with cul-de-sacs that will provide access from Farrow Road to the substation and to several businesses, including the Red Barn and other properties that will remain where they are,” he said.
“This is everything that is proposed right now,” Bickley said. “We will award the bid for the design/build of this realignment in August. The design work will begin in September, with actual construction beginning later.”
Bickley said the owners of the businesses that the realignment affects have been made aware of the activity that is coming their way.
“They have been involved in some of those decisions in how that would work in order to give them access,” Brooks said.
