The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Commission has approved updates to its bridge program, allocating an additional $200 million following the General Assembly’s appropriation. This decision prioritizes bridge projects expected to commence in the coming years with current and future funding.
Secretary of Transportation Justin P. Powell acknowledged the leadership of Governor McMaster and the General Assembly for their investment in infrastructure. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor McMaster and the General Assembly and their continued investment in South Carolina’s infrastructure, SCDOT is expediting progress and restoring even more bridges in our state,” he said.
Commission Chair TJ Johnson expressed pride in the work done so far, saying, “The SCDOT Commission is proud of the work we have done so far to improve South Carolina’s aging bridges. The money SCDOT is receiving will allow crews to continue to push toward our goal of 530 bridges in 10 years.”
The General Assembly allocated $200 million as a one-time funding boost for bridge projects. With this addition, the total budget for bridge replacements and rehabilitations rises to $439 million for the coming year. The funds will advance projects on SCDOT’s prioritized list, although not all projects will be covered by this budget.
As part of its Strategic 10-year plan, SCDOT has completed or begun construction on 416 bridges and aims to finish 530 bridges as planned. The new funding allows acceleration beyond these goals. In the last fiscal year, allocations enabled work on 119 bridges, with 109 already underway.
Following this approval, SCDOT seeks public input to amend the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for additional bridge projects across various routes. Comments are open until August 7, 2025.
For those without internet access, printed copies of related materials are available at any South Carolina Department of Transportation District Office.
Information from this article can be found here.
