Gas Tax Watch

Less than 6% of promised Lexington County road repairs have been completed.

Yet in the first 2 years of the gas tax hike, the state collected enough money to pay for 75% of the $1 billion in road and bridge projects.

The Department of Transportation has “substantially” completed 8% of promised repairs across the state.

As of June 30, no road “pavements” projects had been “substantially” completed in 9 counties.

A review found that DOT listed less than 6% of projected “pavements” costs as “substantially complete” here and 14 other counties.

DOT may miss a 10-year target for road and bridge work at this rate.

A special state fund created with the gas tax hike law had $477.9 million as of June 30, which represented 62% of the $769.2 million in total revenue collected over 2 years, according to DOT and state comptroller general records.

The latest review found more than $88 million in vendor payments over 2 years went mainly for “preservation” and “safety improvement” projects.

“Preservation” includes “crack sealing” and “chip sealing.” “Rural road safety” includes widening shoulders and adding guardrails.

In raising the gas tax 12 cents a gallon over 6 years – a 75% jump from the base 16 cents – and increasing other vehicle taxes and fees, lawmakers promised the money would fix failing roads and bridges.

DOT has said about 80% of the state’s 42,000 miles of roads needs resurfacing or rebuilding and 465 out of 750 “structurally deficient” bridges need replacing.

Of the $1 billion in promised road and bridge work, $246 million – nearly a quarter of that – is designated for interstate widenings, according to DOT’s website.

The agency revised its site after we revealed its plans to widen interstates.

The SC Policy Council contends the gas tax law was written to allow DOT to divert money to pay debts of the lawmaker-controlled State Transportation Infrastructure Bank. The bank funnels billions of dollars to large construction projects in select counties.

Brundrett is the news editor of The Nerve. Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@thenerve.org .

What you can do

Lawmakers promised the gas tax hike would repair roads and bridges. $615.2 million has been collected, but little has been done.

The Department of Transportation says it may be 10 years or more before our roads and bridges are fixed.

Who’s responsible?

Your House member, senator and Gov. McMaster.

Email them about up to 3 roads needing repair. Tell them to ask their commissioner by when these roads are going to be repaired.

Forward their responses to https://scpolicycouncil.org/project-road-repair .

The watchdog SC Policy Council and the Chronicle will publish their responses and track the dates for you.