South Carolina lawmakers propose DOT overhaul to fix roads without gas tax hike

COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) — State lawmakers in South Carolina are proposing a major overhaul of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to address the state’s aging road system without increasing the gas tax.

The plan, outlined in Senate Bill 831, aims to improve management and efficiency within the DOT by creating a new Transportation Coordinating Council. This council would bring together several state agencies to enhance decision-making processes.

Sen. Larry Grooms highlighted the financial resources available, stating, “We have an unobligated surplus of $1.7 billion from last year. We’re having an increase in state revenues over last year of about 1 billion. We now have 2.7 billion more dollars than we had last year.”

The proposal comes shortly after Gov. Henry McMaster requested lawmakers to allocate over a billion dollars for roads and bridges in the state budget.

Sen. Rex Rice emphasized the need to improve DOT efficiency, saying, “I think we’ve got to do everything we can to improve the efficiency of DOT, figuring out how to do projects without putting so much red tape into them.”

Instead of raising the gas tax, the bill suggests exploring alternative funding options, such as public-private partnerships, user fees, and tolls.

State Rep. Seth Rose stressed the importance of pedestrian safety, stating, “When we get into the heart of our neighborhoods and our community, walk capability, bike ability, and a sense of community need to be prioritized.”

Rose also expressed openness to discussing tolls as a potential funding source with other lawmakers.

The Senate proposal has been referred to the Transportation Committee for further review.