$1.2 billion a year needed for perfect SC roads, transportation chief says

It would take $1.2 billion a year to bring the existing road system to near perfect, interim roads chief Christy Hall told stakeholders Monday.

That estimate removes the costs for mass transit and brand new roads from the $1.5 billion the agency has estimated is needed to fix the state’s crumbling roads through 2040, Hall told those attending the annual S.C. Alliance to Fix Our Roads meeting.

The $1.2 billion additional would address pavements and maintenance as well as modernizing and widening existing roads – not new ones, Hall said.

“We realize that’s not achievable,” Hall said.

Eighty percent of pavement on primary routes were in poor or fair condition in 2014, Hall said. Primary routes carry nearly half of the state’s traffic.

A third of the S.C. interstates pavement were in poor or fair condition, Hall said. S.C. interstates carry nearly a third of the state’s traffic.

Cassie Cope: 803-771-8657, @cassielcope

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 4:11 PM with the headline "$1.2 billion a year needed for perfect SC roads, transportation chief says."