SC invests in road, water fixes. Why a national group still gave state a ‘D’ grade
A national civil engineering group called South Carolina’s infrastructure system “subpar” despite investment made by state transportation leaders, the Legislature and drivers in recent years to improve the state’s roads and water systems.
In its 2021 report card, the American Society of Civil Engineers, a group that lobbies Congress to fully fund federal infrastructure programs, gave the state’s road and water infrastructure D-plus.
The group’s assessment — based on capacity, money, costs and public safety — said the state needs to invest more money to accommodate for the state’s population growth and to prepare for climate threats, such as hurricanes and flooding.
South Carolina roads have the highest fatality rate in the U.S. at 1.72 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, the group said.
And more than a 10th of the state’s bridges are structurally deficient, while the national average is 7.5%. The report said 47% and 45% of the state’s bridges are in fair and good condition, respectively
State Transportation Secretary Christy Hall said the report card “confirms what we at SCDOT (South Carolina Department of Transportation) know. South Carolina’s transportation network is improving, but there’s still much work to be done.”
But the engineering group did give South Carolina some credit for steps officials have taken to improve infrastructure. For instance, they lauded the Legislature’s successful action in 2017 to raise the gas tax by 12 cents over six years to generate more than $625 million annually for road work, and gave the state agency credit for its 10-year roads program currently ahead of schedule for bridge replacements.
However, the group estimates South Carolina’s roads and bridges need an additional $43 billion by 2040, writing more than half of the state’s roads are in poor condition.
The brightest spot the group reported for South Carolina is its cargo ports, particularly the harbor deepening at the Port of Charleston to accommodate larger ships and the opening of the Hugh Leatherman Terminal. Lawmakers are looking to make further investments at the Port of Charleston by adding near dock railroad access and barge operations. The estimated price tag is $550 million.
“South Carolina’s agencies and leaders have taken matters into their own hands to ensure our network of infrastructure systems are suitable for a 21st century economy and expanding demographic,” said Jonathan Thrasher, an engineer who co-chaired the 2021 infrastructure report card for South Carolina. “Now it is time for the federal government to do its part in aiding our communities with the necessary funding to bring all of our systems to a state of good repair.”
Beyond traditional infrastructure, the engineering group also said South Carolina’s transit and aviation networks need improvement because they are not equipped to meet the demands of a growing population and economy.
“While transit options have improved in rural areas, intercity ridership has declined by more than 60% and intercity bus transportation does not service the state’s six commercial airports, the entire north central region, or any of the 11 Amtrak rail stations, hindering connectivity,” the group said.
By 2026, airports around the state are expected to see a 15% increase in flights but annual investment could fall short by 75% of needs as congestion mounts at terminals, they said.
The state’s water and wastewater infrastructure also needs a $6.1 billion investment in the next 20 years as systems age beyond their life spans, the report said. The engineering group did report that efforts are being made to improve water and wastewater systems, including West Columbia’s expansion of its water treatment plant.
The group’s evaluation comes as state lawmakers are working to determine how to spend $2.5 billion in federal COVID-19 aid and as Congress considers passing a $1 trillion infrastructure plan — legislation endorsed by Hall.
To help lawmakers, Gov. Henry McMaster’s advisory panel, AccelerateSC, recently made recommendations on where the federal dollars should go.
They include $400 million for water, sewer and wastewater projects through the Rural Infrastructure Authority and the governor’s recent suggestion that $360 million of federal COVID-19 money go toward widening parts of Interstate 26 between Charleston and Columbia.
Spending COVID relief money on an I-26 widening would be a move that would move the project up by six years ahead of currently scheduled.
This story was originally published September 9, 2021 at 11:46 AM with the headline "SC invests in road, water fixes. Why a national group still gave state a ‘D’ grade."
