Aiken roads getting $17M from stimulus 2/27/2009 12:14 AM By MIKE GELLATLY Staff writer
Millions of dollars of stimulus funds are headed to Aiken County to help improve roads and transportation.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation has released figures and the specific locations for projects where the money will be spent.
The list ranges from regional mass transit to road paving and was released for public comment so the public can share its two cents on how the billions are spent.
Aiken is a major recipient of this first wave of projects with a total value of $17,215,177.
All of these projects have been selected because they are "shovel ready," meaning they could be started immediately with funding, according to Wayne Rogers with the Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG).
The biggest and highest-funded project will focus on improving the paving of 11 miles of Interstate 20 at a cost of $13 million.
All of the transportation projects have been part of the State Transportation Infrastructure Plan for as much as three years, according to Rogers.
"DOT has determined they can be accomplished very quickly, once the money is obligated," he said.
Unlike other sections in the first stage of stimulus projects, transportation monies are specifically directed to commit at least half of the funding within 120 days.
In general, the funds include $415,000 for remarking the Aiken County stretch of I-20, 13 road projects to the tune of just over $3.6 million and $180,000 for Aiken County mass transit.
The mass transit funds for Aiken will be used to replace older Best Friend Express vehicles, according to Connie Shade, assistant executive director of LSCOG.
One major mass transit project is listed as an Aiken project, but is in name only.
The $3.5 million project will build or renovate a public transport facility for Calhoun and Orangeburg. This is listed as an Aiken project as the funds would be managed by the LSCOG offices in Aiken.
These are the first stage projects because they can be started quickly. Other projects in later phases may still need the acquisition of right-of-ways and other, possibly lengthy issues that could delay projects from starting.
These second-phase projects include bridge improvement as well as further intersection upgrades and more paving.
2009 Federal Aid Stimulus Package
Allotment - $3,620,177
In order of priority
Repaving
SC 191 0.46 miles in Graniteville
SC 125 0.13 miles Atomic road before intersection with Martindown road North Augusta
SC 126 0.36 miles in Edgefield Road into Belvedere
SC 120 0.65 miles West Bauna Vist Avenue in North Augusta
SC 125 0.66 miles in North Augusta
SC 419 0.65 miles Dougherty Road between Whiskey and Silver Bluff roads
SC 302 0.55 miles Silver Bluff, south of Aiken
SC 19 0.70 miles Edgefield Highway over I-20 exit 18
SC 879 0.65 miles Seymore Drive in North Augusta from Atomic Road to Mae Street
SC 125 0.18 miles and US 25 1.11 miles East Martintown Road and East Buena Vista Avenue from Jefferson Davis Highway to Georgia Avenue
SC 230 1.71 miles Martindown Road from Georgia Avenue to Westobou Crossing
Mass transit
$180,000 to replace older Best Friend Express vehicles.
Pavement Marking
$415,000 Remarking I-20
Interstate Maintenance
$13,000,000 for I-20 between mile marker 22 to 38.
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Posted by: Forgotten in Salley On: Monday, October 19, 2009 1:49 PM
Comment Title: What about the dirt roads in Wagener-Salley
Wagener-Salley area has never been thought about its hard to even get the roads and bridges dept on the phone they don't want to talk to us they spend our tax money and this stimulus money on things they care about they dont care that our roads dont get any attention they park the equipment on our road its always there but they only use it to pull dirt over the bumps like once a month, some of our dirt roads are almost impossible to drive on , I have to go over a rut in our dirt road its atleast 8 inches deep and you wonder why your truck stays in the shop all the time huh go figure
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Posted by: On: Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:03 AM
Comment Title: Repaving?
Sure aiken counties roads need repair, but what about the roads that are not paved at all? Windsor still has miles of dirt road that needs to be paved.I guess that sales tax project for road paving has come and gone, but we are still paying the tax imagine that and cant get our roads paved....UGH!!
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Posted by: On: Friday, February 27, 2009 10:54 PM
Comment Title: money for roads
I'm sure glad that the roads in Windsor, Wagener, and Monetta don't need repairs, because it appears as if they were looked over!
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Posted by: On: Friday, February 27, 2009 8:36 PM
Comment Title:
Thank you President Obama.
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Posted by: On: Friday, February 27, 2009 11:06 AM
Comment Title: 4 Lane to Windsor
Is this project still in the plan? I have not lived in Windsor for 40 years, but I am curious any way.
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Posted by: Bubbletoes On: Friday, February 27, 2009 8:33 AM
Comment Title: Pork for the wrong people
Good time to be in the road-building racket. $17M available and only $180K for "mass-transit". So, if you are too old, too young or too poor to drive, you don't matter. We have NO convenient passenger train service and no regional bus service at-all. I would call the Best Friends bus service more-than "shovel-ready". If they would be amenable to adding routs THEY should get a lot more of this 'pork'. Cars whizzing by on I-20 will not bring $17M to Aiken county. This money should do more to help the citizens of Aiken county, not just fill the pockets of construction companies.
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Posted by: On: Friday, February 27, 2009 8:11 AM
Comment Title:
We have a extra penny tax to help improve the roads which I am for. Then the goverment is struggling and we get more money for road improvement. My question is with all this money why are tax payers still paying a road maintence fee along with a storm drainage fee. Cant they fix the roads and the drain problem with all this money. These two add on's are just another tax. This county and city need help in management.
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Posted by: On: Friday, February 27, 2009 8:03 AM
Comment Title: Money well spent
The roads in Aiken County sure need some repairs. They are horrid!
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