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by JOE WHITE
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South Carolina doesn’t have a mystery road problem.
We don’t lack data. We don’t lack funding mechanisms. And we certainly don’t lack examples from other states that are doing it better.
What we have is a structural failure — a system designed in a way that almost guarantees poor results, no matter how much money we pour into it. If we want better roads, we have to fix the structure that manages them.
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“We’re managing roads based on politics, not pavement.”
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South Carolina’s road system is organized around congressional-style districts — boundaries drawn for population, not for infrastructure. Some areas are responsible for roughly 5,000 lane miles of road. Others handle 10,000 or more – yet they operate under the same structure.
That’s imbalance built into the system.
Many of these districts slice through regions, combining rural, urban, and coastal systems into one unit. No one is managing a coherent system, and the people closest to the problems can’t fix them.
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RELATED | EXPENSIVE FAILURE
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Infrastructure decisions in our state are centralized. Priorities, budgets, and bidding all flow through Columbia. Local teams execute — but they don’t decide. As a result, roads deteriorate while waiting for approval.
The S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) prioritizes moving commerce from the coast across the state. That matters—but it becomes the priority everywhere. Funding flows to major highways. Meanwhile, rural roads fall behind – as centralized priorities create real-world consequences at the local level.
South Carolina ranks near the top in rural road fatalities. That’s not a funding problem, that’s a prioritization problem.
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“We studied the problem – and missed the solution.”
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A 23-member committee studied this issue. The resulting bill modernizes large project contracting, but it does very little to fix the roads we already drive on. It focuses on new roads—not maintaining existing ones.
A smarter way to organize our roads would be to focus on real-world needs, not political maps.
Start with five operational regions:
- Coastal/Evacuation & Bridge Region
- Pee Dee & Sandhills Region
- Midlands, Metro & Central Corridors Region
- Lower Savannah, Southern Rural & Industrial Region
- Upstate Metro & Freight Spine Region
Each region should have budget authority, project control, and accountability. Regional directors would report to the secretary of transportation, and the secretary of transportation would report to the governor.
That’s enhancing regional control – while creating a direct line of accountability.
Other southeastern states have already done this – including North Carolina and Tennessee, both of which use regional models. In those states, a central office sets policy — but the individual regions make decisions.
The result is faster response and better outcomes.
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“This isn’t about spending more money.”
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This isn’t about spending more money. This is about spending smarter.
We need flexibility – not central bottlenecks. We need a SCDOT that responds to the people. We need to fix the roads we already drive on – which requires accountability and pressure from citizens.
If we can fix the structure, we can fix the roads.
We don’t have a funding problem. We have a management problem.
- Fix the structure.
- Give regions control.
- Align responsibility with authority.
And we will fix the roads…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Joe White is a retired businessman and proud member of the S.C. Freedom Caucus who represents South Carolina House District 40 in the General Assembly.
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1 comment
Instead of GIVING Scout Motors 1.3 Billion they should have spent That Money widening I-95! From Ga to NC!!