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South
Carolina Highway Facts
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- South Carolina highways are the third most deadly roads in the nation. (2005)
- An average of three people die on South Carolina roads every day.
- Primary, secondary, and county roads carry 74% of the traffic. Yet, about 90% of all crashes occur on those roads, not the interstates. The secondary roads, which are the most severely under-funded, are the deadliest highways in the state.
- A recent report concluded that South Carolina motorists are spending $500 million per year in vehicle repairs as the result of poor road conditions.
- Nearly one-third of South Carolina's primary and Interstate highways are now in poor or mediocre condition.
- Approximately half of our secondary roads are in poor or mediocre condition.
- One out of every five bridges in the state is considered deficient.
- In 1970, state-source highway funding represented 17% of the state budget. Today, it represents 6%.
- South Carolina has the fourth largest state-maintained highway system in the nation. Nationally, only 19% of all highways are under state ownership. In South Carolina, 62% of all highways are under state ownership. Yet, South Carolina taxpayers contribute less than the national per capita average.
- A portion of the federal funds must be used for enhancement of highways or they will be lost. Landscaping is part of the federally mandated "Highway Enhancement Program." SCDOT uses "Keep South Carolina Beautiful" tag funds plant wildflowers on the Interstates. This is not at the expense of the maintenance budget.
- Approximately 50% of the South Carolina State Highway System qualifies for federal funding. Federal funds are generally designated for new construction, not highway maintenance. That's why the state can replace bridges, and widen roads, but cannot properly perform routine maintenance of state roads.
- Federal funds come to SCDOT on a reimbursement basis. This means that state fuel tax dollars are first spent on a project, then SCDOT sends an invoice to Washington, and is reimbursed for 80% of the amount spent. The 20% not reimbursed is the "state match" and it comes from the State Highway Fund, depleting what's available for the other 50% of our state roads.
- More federal money is now available, but the amount of state match has increased too, leaving less state motor fuel user fee dollars for the maintenance of secondary roads.
- Virtually all state funding (73%) for South Carolina highways comes from the motor fuel user fee. Nationally, nearly all states augment their Highway Programs with other dedicated non-fuel tax revenues. South Carolina needs to diversify its highway funding base.
- The state motor fuel user fee has been 16¢ per gallon since 1987. This is the fifth lowest in the nation. It has remained flat while the Consumer Price Index has grown 81%, and traffic has grown 65%.
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Unlike the state sales tax, when gas prices go up, fuel revenues go down. Improved fuel efficiency also causes fuel user fee collections per mile to drop (12% between 1990 and 2000 due to improved efficiency).
- Approximately one-third of all highway fatalities in South Carolina occur when vehicles leave the road and hit fixed objects such as trees and embankments. This number could be greatly reduced through the funding of engineering improvements.
- The installation of turn lanes can help avoid rear-end collisions.
- Solely maintained by fuel tax revenues, the State of South Carolina maintains:
- 41,391 road miles
- 8,331 state-owned bridges
- 830 miles of interstate
- 34 Rest Areas and Welcome Centers
- 23 million linear feet of curb & gutter
- 1.25 million driveway entrances
- Over 530,000 traffic signs
- 75,000 shoulder miles of mowing
- Over 20 million linear feet of sidewalks
- Nearly 1,300 miles of guardrail
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