Latest news with #SCDOT
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
SCDOT settles lawsuit over missing guardrail with family of teen killed in 2021 crash
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Parents of an Upstate teen killed in a 2021 crash have settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the South Carolina Department of Transportation over a missing guardrail which they claimed contributed to the crash. 16-year-old Kolson Elliott died April 27, 2021 when the car he was driving ran off of Drayton Road while trying to avoid a collision, down an embankment, and into Lawsons Fork Creek. The lawsuit stated that the bridge over Lawsons Fork Creek did not have guardrails to protect from a vehicle going down the embankment as required by South Carolina law. The suit also claimed that the SCDOT was aware for years prior to the crash that the bridge was not up to safety standards. Elliott was not seriously injured in the crash but drowned in the creek, the lawsuit went on to say. He was a 10th grade student and basketball player at Boiling Springs High School at the time of his death. According to court documents filed Tuesday, SCDOT will pay $350,000 the family of Kolson Elliott to settle the suit. Elliot's family previously received $750,000 as part of a separate wrongful death lawsuit settlement in 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘It's dangerous': SCDOT seeking to replace Jasper County bridge, congestion concerns
JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV) – Growth in Jasper County is leading to infrastructure concerns, and now the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is getting involved. Drivers said a bridge on South Carolina 462 that crosses over Euhaw Creek at the Ridgeland town line is being inundated with traffic, and it can't handle the volume. 'Everything coming from Beaufort and Bluffton and Hilton Head is coming this way. So, it's kind of congested, and it's dangerous right here by the church,' Earl Busby, a local resident, said. 'The bridge and all that need to be done over.' Right now, there are weight limits for the bridge over Euhaw Creek, and there is signage letting people know that the roadway narrows. However, there is no shortage of cars, trucks or buses that travel over it. 'The road being so cluttered and eighteen wheelers driving on it and so many cars traveling this road locally, the traffic is real serious. They've had major accidents on this road that took a couple lives,' Busby said. SCDOT is looking to amend the statewide transportation improvement program to allocate funds to replace the bridge. They've been accepting public comment on the project since Thursday, and they estimate it will cost about $6.9 million. 'It's expanding. It's a lot of development going on, and it's a lot of people moving in the area,' Busby said. 'You've got them coming from Hilton Head, Walterboro, Bluffton, Beaufort, and Hampton. That's a lot of traffic.' Several residents told WSAV off camera that many locals are not in favor of so much development, with signs posted up and down SC 462 reading 'Save the Euhaw district.' Public comment will be accepted through June 12. Written comments should be forwarded to Ginny Jones, Public Involvement Director, SCDOT Public Engagement Office, 955 Park Street, P.O. Box 191, Columbia, SC 29202. Comments may also be submitted online or by email to SCDOTpubliccomment@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New House committee will study how to modernize South Carolina's transportation agency
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) — A new ad hoc committee has been formed in the South Carolina House to examine how the state's transportation agency could be modernized to better serve the growing population. South Carolina's consistent ranking as one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, coupled with aging infrastructure, has put a strain on roads and bridges across the state. Now, a committee led by Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-Beaufort) and Rep. Heather Crawford (R-Horry) will be tasked with examining ways to improve efficiency and streamline operations at the South Carolina Department of Transportation. 'As South Carolina continues to grow, it is critical that our infrastructure keeps pace,' said House Speaker Murrell Smith (R-Sumter). 'This committee will take a comprehensive look at how SCDOT can better serve the needs of our citizens—today and in the future. From innovation and technology to organizational structure and long-term planning, no idea is off the table.' New law bans kratom sales to minors in South Carolina The committee is expected to solicit feedback on the state's transportation infrastructure during a series of public hearings starting this summer, which officials said will be used to drive policy recommendations. 'South Carolinians deserve a transportation system that works as hard as they do,' said Erickson. 'This committee will begin by listening to our communities with the aim of delivering solutions that modernize SCDOT and make a meaningful difference in the daily lives of our citizens.' A primary focus will be placed on how to update SCDOT's permitting process, speed up timelines for project funding and completion, and expand road capacity to help alleviate congestion. 'We're at a pivotal moment for South Carolina's infrastructure,' said Crawford. 'By engaging the public and working closely with local and state partners, this committee will help drive reforms that lead to faster project completion, better service, and a stronger foundation for future growth.' The rest of the committee members have not yet been announced, but the Speaker's office said they would be a 'bipartisan and geographically diverse group' of state representatives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
SCDOT closes Highway 290 bridge over I-85 in Duncan
DUNCAN, S.C. (WSPA) – The SC-290 bridge, located in Duncan, closed to drivers Friday night so crews could work on a new traffic pattern. Officials with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) previously announced the bridge was scheduled to close from Friday, May 2, through Monday, May 5, to work on the diverging diamond interchange. The new interchange, SCDOT added, allows traffic to cross from the right side to the left side of the roadway and then back again — improving safety and traffic flow. The traffic comes as no surprise to drivers on I-85 at exit 63 in Duncan. Duncan residents said they hope to see less accidents, but even former truck driver Mike Lemire said he is skeptical. 'I've never seen one of those in any other city. I drove for 25 years over the road, and I never saw this. This is going to be interesting,' he said. 'I'm real curious to see how it's going to work out because I think it's going to be impossible to stop all accidents.' Wade Tolleson is a nearby business worker. He said he's worried about the people who have been used to driving over the bridge for years. 'I've made a joke before that the first week, we're going to see a lot of responses to that bridge because people are just not going to know,' he said. 'I don't know how the signage is gonna go.' Detour routes and a closure map of the bridge can be found below: The bridge will reopen to drivers at 6 a.m. on Monday, May 19. Drivers heading west on the bridge will detour on I-85 to SC-129 southbound to I-85 southbound. Drivers traveling east on the bridge will be diverted to I-85 southbound to SC-101 then get on I-85 northbound. For more information, including a virtual simulation of the new traffic pattern, . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Local leaders set to discuss updates on Folly Road safety improvements
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – The Rethink Folly Road committee is set to share updates on several safety improvements Wednesday at James Island Town Hall. The Folly Road safety project is preparing for its second public input meeting, but local leaders are meeting ahead of time to give updates since the last meeting in March. The entire effort comes from multiple agencies including the Town of James Island, City of Charleston, Charleston County, and the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Since November, SCDOT has been analyzing many safety measures to put on the road for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. 'The raised medians is to control the access and encourage safer movements to use existing signals. To kind of restrict the left turn movement out of some of the properties because the angle crashes are the ones that produce the highest severity of the crashes,' Shawn Salley, program manager at SCDOT, said. 'So, that's what the intent of the median is to reduce those crashes and improve safety in the area.' The agency conducted a road safety assessment from 2018 to 2022 and found over 2,000 crashes and six fatalities occurred on the roadway. This called prompted them to step up with local leaders to address and remedy the concerns. SCDOT plans to implement several safety measures: High visibility crosswalks Sidewalks and ADA ramps Countdown signal heads Access management CARTA bus stop relocations Lane reconfigurations Raised medians 'The Fort Johnson Road Folly Road intersection to me is the scariest one of all the intersections. I don't think they have any kind of median strip there,' Barbara Atkins, a Folly Beach resident, said. 'I think it did help over here by Camp Road, but again we don't have one there.' Atkins added that she and her husband do feel unsafe driving on Folly Road because of the many access points and unsafe speeds. Katie Zimmerman, executive director of Charleston Moves, said speeding is also an issue for those on foot or biking. 'It also just contributes to making the area feel generally uncomfortable and unsafe. So, when you cross the street – you're going to have to jog to do it, if you're in the bike lane you're right up against fast moving traffic. It's an uncomfortable space that desperately needs improvement, not just from a safety aspect but as the main street of James Island. I think it should function better for everybody,' said Zimmerman. The SCDOT has gathered feedback from all involved agencies, residents, business owners, and advocacy groups. The final concepts are expected to shown during the public input meeting using that feedback. The committee is expected to meet at 3 p.m. at James Island Town Hall. The SCDOT public input meeting will be on May 22 at Camp Road Middle School from 5-7 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
