State Transportation Infrastructure Board Approves Funding for Dorchester County

ST. GEORGE, SC – February 9, 2012 – The South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank Board (SCTIB) approved Dorchester County’s request for $19 Million for critical transportation improvements at their meeting this afternoon in Columbia at SCDOT Headquarters.

The SCTIB unanimously approved funding for Dorchester County for the following projects:

• $13 Million – to widen S.C. Highway 165 from two lanes to five lanes down to Ashley Ridge High School from Carolinian Drive
• $4 Million – U.S. Highway 78 Phase 3 Right-of-Way
• $750,000 – U.S. Highway 78 and Deming Way Intersection Improvement
• $1.25 Million – Orangeburg Road and Butternut Road Intersection Improvement

This funding will address a section of S.C. Hwy 165 south of Beech Hill Road (S.C. Highway 61) that has experienced 31 accidents since 2008, according to SCDOT crash data. Funding for US Highway 78 and Deming Way will improve a dangerous intersection in a busy industrial area near the Dorchester County Judicial Center and Law Enforcement Complex. The remaining $4 Million for US Highway 78, the number 11 project on the SCDOT statewide transportation priority list, will be used to acquire right-of-way to make Phase 3 of US Highway 78 shovel ready for Federal funding.

Finally, the funding for the intersection of Orangeburg Road and Butternut Road will provide much needed trafficsignals along a hurricane evacuation route near four schools in the Knightsville area. This intersection improvement coupled with new turn signals installed by SCDOT at Orangeburg Road and Central Avenue last week, and intersection realignment at Butternut Road and Central Avenue, which is under construction, will greatly improve safety and congestion in the Summerville and Knightsville areas.

This has been a team effort by Dorchester County Council and staff, the Dorchester Count Legislative Delegation, the Dorchester County Sales Tax Transportation Authority, S.C.D.O.T., and the SCTIB. However, none of this would be possible if Dorchester County voters had not approved a one cent transportation sales tax in 2004 to help fund state and local road improvements.