COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCIV/AP) - State legislators agree South Carolina's roads and bridges need work, but they can't agree on how to pay for it.
The Department of Transportation estimates needing to increase the amount spent on roads by $1.5 billion over the next 20 years just to bring the state's roadways up to "good" condition.
The idea of raising the state's 16-cents-per-gallon fuel tax has been tossed around, but legislators said that is not a possibility.
The state's fuel tax is among the lowest in the country. According to a CNBC report, the state's gas tax is the fourth lowest in the country.
41,444 highway miles: 851 interstate miles, 9,475 miles of federal
and state highways, and 31,118 miles of secondary roads. Nearly 70% of
secondary roads aren't eligible for any federal funding.
8,383 bridges
9 welcome centers
19 rest areas
mowing of 128,000 roadside acres
20 million feet of sidewalk
1,700 miles of guardrail
5,600 traffic signals and flashers
643,000 traffic signs
23 million feet of curbs and gutters
Of those nearly 8,400 bridges:
7 are closed
420 have weight restrictions for crossing
886 are rated in poor condition
777 are considered functionally obsolete, due to outdated designs
Of those nearly 41,500 highway miles:
53% of secondary roads rate in "poor" condition; 36% are "fair," and 11% are "good"
47% of federal and state highways rate "poor;" 40% "fair," and 13% "good"
8% of interstate miles are "poor," 23% "fair," and 69% "good"
Source: SC Department of Transportation
