CLINTON, S.C. -- Drivers traveling north on Intestate 385 through Laurens County will now have to find a new way to get to Greenville, as the state transportation department shuts down the highway for several months during construction.

Early Monday morning, the South Carolina Department of Transportation shut down the northbound lanes of I-385 from the intersection with Interstate 26 to near the Gray Court exit. That's about a 15-mile stretch.

The shutdown will run for about eight months.

SCDOT officials said that the closure is part of a $60 million construction project that will include resurfacing the highway and repairing bridges and overpasses. They said that this 15-mile stretch is considered the worst section of the interstate, which runs from near Clinton in Laurens County to downtown Greenville.

The project will include replacing existing asphalt with about 10 inches of concrete, widening the interstate toward the median and replacing the fly-over bridge that connects I-385 and I-26, SCDOT officials said. They said that six other bridges will be raised by about 2 feet.

Construction is expected to be completed in August.

Lee Neighbors of SCDOT said that this is the first time an interstate has been shut down in South Carolina history. That closure has stirred a lot of controversy, most of it centered on the impact to the local economy along that 15-mile stretch. Another part of the debate has been the nearly 40 miles that is added on to a trip to Greenville from Columbia by the detour that has been set up.

Motorists traveling north from Columbia to Greenville will now be forced onto I-26 to Spartanburg, then onto Interstate 85 southbound then onto I-385 in Greenville County. According to Google Maps, the detour adds about 17 minutes onto the trip. The DOT said that closing down the interstate will save the state money and time in the long run.

Most drivers who use I-385 every day said they are keeping their eyes on the end result.

"It's going to affect me and my trucks," said Jim Meeks, who owns a trucking company. "Anytime you're working in traffic, it's much more dangerous and so much more expensive."

"I'm definitely happy the changes are being made," said Dean Youmans, who uses I-385 daily. "It's going to make it easier to get on and off ramps. Driving is going to be a lot better."

There are also other detours that drivers can use to get around the closure. Another route lets drivers exit I-26 and Highway 92 and rejoin I-385 northbound near Gray Court, which adds about 21 minutes to the drive time. From Laurens, motorists can take Highway 76 east to Highway 14, which joins I-385 near Owings.

Troopers have asked drivers to pay attention to instructional signs near the shutdown and along the detour. They said motorists should slow down and give themselves extra time to get to their destination.