Highway commissioner opposes cutting I-26 trees - Live5News.com | Charleston, SC | News, Weather, Sports

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - Not everyone is pleased with state Transportation Department plans to cut all the trees in the median on heavily traveled Interstate 26 between I-95 and Summerville.

The department said last week it wants to clear the trees and put up a center guard rail in the median. Between 2007 and 2011 there were almost 2,000 crashes on that section of the interstate causing 44 deaths and 709 injuries.

But state Highway Commissioner Jim Rozier says he's heard from a lot of people who don't want the trees removed. Rozier says the trees don't cause the accidents.

He says there are other ways to improve safety on the highway. He plans to bring the issue up at the transportation commission meeting Thursday in Columbia.

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