Aiken County I-20 Overpass Set for May 21 Completion After 2025 Tanker Fire Collapse

The Old Vaucluse Road overpass on Interstate 20 in Aiken County will wrap up by May 21. South Carolina Department of Transportation workers have spent months rebuilding after a tanker fire destroyed it on June 14, 2025.

A gasoline tanker hit the span and burst into flames during the early morning hours. SCDOT took down what remained within 72 hours. That section of I-20 reopened fast.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster issued an emergency executive order days after it fell to speed things up. The federal government gave SCDOT $8 million in October 2025. Workers started building in March.

"They are nearing completion now, and they are in the final stages," said SCDOT resident construction engineer Ric Ward, per the Aiken Standard.

Ward said crews will begin paving within the next week or two. They poured concrete to create parapet walls on the side of the structure across the highway, which will keep anyone from falling over the edge.

SCDOT began nightly lane closures on I-20 from April 27 to May 1. The closures allow the contractor to remove temporary overhangs and protective structures from the work. Drivers should slow down and pay attention to signs and workers when traveling through the area.

Ward said his team will make a public service announcement through its social media pages once the reopening date gets closer. Plans for a ribbon-cutting ceremony exist, but details will come out later.

"We have really expedited this project to make it happen, and we are really proud of the work that SCDOT has done on it," SCDOT Deputy Chief of Staff and spokesperson Kelly Moore said.

The contractor's completion date is May 21.