John Smith Road Bridge Over I-95 to Reopen in Early 2027
Published November 5, 2026 at 5:15 am|By Knox C. Sterling, Staff Reporter
HARDEEVILLE, S.C. — Drivers who used John Smith Road to slip past the Exit 8 backups on the way to Hilton Head Island will have to wait until early 2027 for the shortcut to come back, the state transportation department now says.
The overpass carrying John Smith Road across Interstate 95 in Jasper County closed in March so it could be torn down and rebuilt. The job was first pegged at roughly nine months. SCDOT now expects the road to reopen early next year, once utility crews finish moving lines for Exit 8 by the end of this year.
HERE CITY BUSINESS DIRECTORYOwn a business in Hilton Head Island? Get listed HERE.Free basic listing. Premium features available.
The new bridge comes first because the state needs it in place before it can turn the grass median of I-95 into travel lanes. That widening, plus the rebuild of Exit 8 at U.S. 278 into a diverging diamond interchange, cannot move ahead until the overpass is done.
Right now, SCDOT lists three bridge sites in progress, at SC 46, Sand Island Swamp and the Savannah River, while crews cut access roads near Exit 8. The corridor runs about 10 miles, from just inside Georgia to roughly mile marker 9, and takes in 14 bridges and Exits 5 and 8.
The full project is estimated at $825 million, and the first stretch of widening is expected to wrap up by 2030.
SPONSOR | Your Business Here — Be the brand Hilton Head Island's Crime community sees first every morning. Exclusive top-of-section placement, Monday–Friday.
Knox is a staff reporter for HERE Hilton Head covering local news, community stories, and developments across Beaufort County. Knox is committed to accurate, community-first journalism.
