SCDOT Still Pimping Interstate 73

FITSNEWS ^ | July 21, 2016 | FITS

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

AGENCY LOBBYING HARD FOR MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BOONDOGGLE

South Carolina’s corrupt transportation “leaders” still desperately want to foist Interstate 73 on dirt poor Palmetto State taxpayers … even as government’s embarrassing inability to do basic maintenance continues to be on display all over the state.

How desperate are our powerful “roads czars” to get this Interstate built? Let’s recap …

First, they’ve spent more than $100 million on an interchange for the highway (even though it’s not clear if it will ever be built).

Next they’ve proposed spending millions more on wetlands mitigation related to the road (again, even though it’s not clear if it will ever be built).

Finally, they’ve had the audacity to include the road’s multi-billion dollar price tag as part of an alleged “shortfall” in maintenance funding.

That’s right … this cost of this multi-billion dollar boondoggle has actually been included in SCDOT’s calculation of our state’s “unmet infrastructure needs.”

Crazy, huh?

Absolutely … especially when you consider the traffic issues ostensibly “resolved” by this new Interstate could be dealt with far more expeditiously and effectively for one-tenth the cost.

Despite all of this, the scandal-scarred S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) – led by corrupt chairman Mike Wooten – continues to lobby for the highway.

This week, Wooten’s commission unanimously passed a resolution calling on federal and state regulatory agencies to approve a “proposed mitigation and environmental permit for the South Carolina component of I-73.”

“Representatives of the Grand Strand have repeatedly stated that construction of this needed roadway is a high priority at the local level,” the resolution added, claiming that alternative proposals to mitigate traffic congestion were “not feasible.”

What a joke …

South Carolina has legitimate Interstate needs – including serious problems that need addressing on Interstate 85 and Interstate 95. Yet for some reason, non-essential projects continue to receive priority.

As this website has noted, SCDOT has seen its base budget more than double over the last six years. This year lawmakers threw hundreds of millions in new money on top of that (some of it via a constitutionally dubious borrowing scheme).

That’s more than enough money for SCDOT to fix its crumbling network of roads and bridges – and to properly maintain/ responsibly expand this network moving forward.

Lawmakers simply need to prioritize projects and enact long-overdue administrative reform – creating (at long last) a direct line of accountability between SCDOT and the people it is supposed to be representing.

[relictele]

As one of many who has searched, explored, attempted, compared, timed, rejected, and refined every possible route to/from the Grand Strand from I-95 and points north and west with the dogged, if naive and futile, determination of Columbus, Vespucci, Magellan et al I must cast a vote of ‘Yes please’ for 73/74 or whatever designation is given to a proper limited-access highway to the Myrtle Beach area.

I don’t doubt there are problems and conflicts - much of it from environmental whackos - but it’s long overdue.

[PAR35]

It’s crony capitalism, and while Democrats sometimes get in on the game, it largely seems to be corrupt Republicans, frequently of the ‘NeverTrump’ flavor.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Taxpayer-Funded Group Pushes Interstate 73 (7/25)

[Dr. Sivana]

I drove to South Carolina for a wedding recently, and I found the tolls near Greenville to be obnoxious. NY may charge a lot, but they usually have a bridge as an excuse. These tolls in the Greenville area happened every few miles, and they were a couple of dollars a pop. Not even Illinois tries to pull that off.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Former SCDOT Leaders Rebuke Interstate 73 (8/11)

[RegulatorCountry]

Been a while since I’ve driven through SC. Didn’t realize they’d resorted to toll roads. None around here, I’m in NC.

[MeganC]

I’ve never understood the point of publicly owned toll roads. They charge you gas and sales taxes to build the road and then they charge you a toll to use the road. Crazy.

[GreenLanternCorps]

I-73 Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_73

http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-073.html

The I-73 & I-74 Thread at AARoads.com

http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18.0

[hanamizu]

they were a couple of dollars a pop. Not even Illinois tries to pull that off.

---

But they do come close. We paid $1.90 per booth on I294. I think I remember tossing 40¢ into the baskets the last time I was that way.

[Freedumb]

Not even Illinois tries to pull that off

Sounds like you have not been in Illinois recently. The recently converted to a toll road Elgin O'Hare expressway (which goes nether to Elgin nor O'Hare) has a rate of $2.50 for its length of 6.5 miles.

[Dr. Sivana]

I’ve never understood the point of publicly owned toll roads. They charge you gas and sales taxes to build the road and then they charge you a toll to use the road. Crazy.

Not to mention inefficient.

If I tried to defend toll roads, I would use the following points:

1. Some roads cost more than others. The Golden Gate Bridge or the Boston Tunnel ought to pay for it's construction and upkeep by those who use them.

2. Gasoline taxes punish those who live in the state. Strategically placed toll roads make sure that those who drive through your state pay something for the privilege. Skinny Delaware has a sizeable toll right at the border.

3. Multiple income streams are needed in case one of them dries up. If gasoline taxes are based as a percentage, a sudden drop in gasoline prices causes a sudden drop in revenue. Folks going to smaller, hybris or electric cars might also cause a drop in revenue.

4. In some cases tolls might divert traffic from a road to another road. I certainly took the Williamsburg Bridge more frequently, and the Triboro less in NYC for that reason.

5. Cities like Chicago don't sell much gasoline compared to the lower priced suburbs, so the tolls are strategically placed around the city and then disappear as you go downstate. Pure political power exercised by the Chicago pols. For me, it was one more reason to avoid going towards Chicago.

6. The policy wonks who want to track our comings and goings would promote the EX-Pass style system to catch terrorists/drug lords/dead beat dads/drunk drivers/speeders/etc. and help planning for future roads.

[Dr. Sivana]

I’ve been to Illinois, but not that segment. I’m not surprised. They’ll drive everyone to Route 20 yet!

[wally_bert]

I haven’t been in Myrtle Beach in 4 or 5 years. There were a lot of boarded up beachfront hotels.