Look Ahead: Tax raises $28 million for road projects

By Charles Tomlinson
Lake City News & Post Editor
Published: January 8, 2009

A 1-cent sales tax to fund six Florence County road projects has raised more than $28 million, within 1 percent of projected collections through fall 2008, according to Florence County data.

The first of the six road projects, the widening of Pineneedles Road, is in its second phase and should be completed by the spring or summer of 2010, said Chris Gossett, a program manager with the S.C. Department of Transportation.

Gossett said SCDOT expects to have funding for five of the six projects, the fifth of which would be the widening of S.C. 51, known locally as Pamplico Highway.

The sixth project, completion of the U.S. 301 Bypass from U.S. 76 near Timmonsville to U.S. 52, will be completed if funding is available, he said.

Meanwhile, the second and third projects — the widening of U.S. 378 and 76, respectively — are under design, Gossett said.

“We’re a little ahead of schedule on the (U.S.) 76 project, but everything else is on schedule,” he said.

U.S. 76 will be widened from near Interstate 95 to Aire Acres Road. Florence County Council voted last month to realign Timmonsville’s Main Street to an intersection near Aire Acres road as part of the project.

The 1-cent addition to the sales tax is expected to raise $148 million to match $250 million approved by the State Infrastructure Board’s evaluation committee in July 2005.

It has raised $28,031,559 through September, not counting interest earned on investments, according to the county.

Florence County voters approved the additional sales tax in a November 2006 referendum.

SCDOT expects construction to last two years for most of the projects, Gossett said.

Along with the aforementioned Pineneedles Road project, the remaining projects are scheduled to occur along the following timelines:

U.S. 378 widening: SCDOT to begin right-of-way acquisition on the first two sections in late 2009, with construction to begin in 2011; third and fourth phases to begin in 2010, with fifth and final phase to begin in 2011

U.S. 76 widening: SCDOT working with a contractor and engineering consultant; plans to begin right-of-way acquisition this fall and begin construction in fall of 2011

TV Road widening: SCDOT negotiating with an engineering consultant; plans to begin right-of-way acquisition in fall 2010 and construction in winter 2012

S.C. 51 widening: SCDOT has begun the engineering phase and will design the project in-house; right-of-way acquisition to begin in late summer 2010 and construction to begin in summer 2013.

What’s next

Construction will continue on the Pineneedles Road widening project, expected to conclude in the spring or summer of 2010, as the widening of U.S. 378 and U.S. 76 are under design.