S.C. DOT Director Wants Funds for Primary Roads

The Department of Transportation director is urging legislators to spend money on South Carolina's crumbling primary highways, rather than send the money to the counties.

Secretary Christy Hall said in a letter to House members that the state's major, non-interstate highways are in a "state of crisis," with 80 percent of pavements statewide in disrepair. Hall says the lack of funding means those highly traveled roads are on a 24-year paving cycle.

The budget being debated in the House this week is expected to include about $400 million for roads. But the proposal sends $185 million of that to counties to fix less-traveled, secondary roads that don't qualify for federal matches.

The total includes $49 million for work already done, as it covers emergency road repairs after last October's floods.