If you live off Exit 51 or Exit 44, you already know the drill. Longs Pond Road backs up, and getting from western Lexington to I-20 can take longer than it should. Lexington County is now working on a fix, and there’s a public hearing coming up this month where you can weigh in.
What’s being proposed
The project would add a full I-20 interchange where Calks Ferry Road already crosses the interstate. Today there’s no access at that overpass, which sits 2.3 miles west of Exit 51 (Longs Pond Road) and 4.4 miles east of Exit 44 (Pond Branch Road). The county’s preferred design is a partial cloverleaf with a new bridge next to the existing overpass. The plan also widens Calks Ferry Road from Two Notch Road to Sherwood Drive and improves several intersections along the way. Lexington County is leading the work with the SC Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. (Source: CalksFerryInterchange.com and the project’s Draft Environmental Assessment, October 2026.)
Why it matters
The county says the goal is better connections between I-20 and the growing western side of Lexington. Its traffic study projects that the new interchange would cut congestion on the Exit 51 ramps by about 16 to 17 percent by 2045. (Source: Draft Environmental Assessment.) Anyone who drives past Ferry Grove, Summer Orchard, and the other new neighborhoods along Calks Ferry can see why access is a big topic.
It’s still years away
This is the planning stage. The county estimates final design, right-of-way, and construction at roughly $85 to $125 million, and construction funding hasn’t been secured yet. No official start date has been set. In June, a county council member told The State it could take five or six years to complete. (Sources: project FAQ; The State.) If you’re buying in this area, it’s worth knowing about, but don’t plan around a finish date yet.
How to have your say
Public hearing: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 5 to 7 p.m., Boiling Springs Methodist Church, 2373 Calks Ferry Road, Lexington. The open house starts at 5, and the formal presentation is at 6. You can sign up to speak on the project website or at the open house.
Comments are due December 2, 2026. You can comment at the meeting, on the website, or by phone, email, or mail. The Draft Environmental Assessment is posted at CalksFerryInterchange.com and on the Lexington County website. (Source: Lexington County public hearing notice.)
If you’re thinking about buying in western Lexington, Gilbert, or Red Bank and want to talk through your options, I’m always happy to help. Knowing what’s planned nearby is part of buying with confidence.
Joel Wall, OriginPoint
NMLS #406462 | Origin Point LLC FKA Guaranteed Rate Affinity, NMLS #1598647 | Equal Housing Lender
Sources:
https://www.calksferryinterchange.com/
https://lex-co.sc.gov/sites/lexco/files/Documents/Lexington%20County/Departments/Public%20Works/I-20CalksFerry_DraftEA_Approval_w.Appendices_1.pdf
https://www.thestate.com/news/traffic/article315941007.html
https://www.noticeregistry.com/south-carolina/notice/public-hearing-lexington-657371
