Driving on Interstate Highway 95 from Florida to Connecticut during a recent vacation was a breeze — except the miles traveled through South Carolina. There were numerous potholes and so much debris that I thought I was traveling in an undeveloped country.
Other motorists have apparently had similar experiences. They have posted online accounts about the dangers posed by South Carolina’s stretch of I-95, a vital link for vacationers heading to or from Georgia and Florida. I-95 in South Carolina, according to Roadnow.com, spans 199 miles.
You are viewing: Why Is I-95 So Bad In South Carolina
After a 2015 flood, highway patrol officers in Santee, South Carolina, direct people away from I-95. … [+] (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Questions about the poor road conditions were sent to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and the state’s Department of Transportation. The transportation department responded with an overall statement that did not answer specific questions why I-95 is in such poor condition.
The condition of I-95 is excellent in Florida and Georgia, but the highway immediately deteriorated when I crossed the Georgia border into South Carolina in March. Inches off the right shoulder were numerous potholes — some so deep they could cause severe damage to a vehicle or an accident. Potholes and cracks were also visible between lanes, and large pieces of rubber debris — probably from blown tires — were strewn about, mostly on the highway’s shoulders.
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A person posted the following on Reddit last month.
“Traveling from New Jersey to Florida recently, that South Carolina stretch of I-95 is absolutely horrendous…Broken up asphalt and other areas with patch on top of patch on top of patch. Insanity!!!…I’ll fly next time and every time after that.”
Another person posted the following on Reddit in February.
“I do not know how South Carolina highway officials can sleep at night. Drove by three large accidents on I-95 southbound, and all looked to be caused by blown tires due to the terrible road conditions. Similar road conditions heading north. Would be very surprised if any state transportation department personal or state troopers allow their family members to drive on it. Criminally irresponsible.”
Last year, another person posted the following on Reddit.
“Seriously, just did Boston to Miami and then back, and the stretch through South Carolina feels like driving in a Third World country. What gives?”
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That view was echoed in a 2019 article written by FITSNews, an independent media outlet covering news and politics in South Carolina.
“Nothing says, ‘Welcome to the Third World,’ quite like entering Jasper County, South Carolina, on Interstate 95,” FITSNews wrote. “Traveling from Georgia, the highway narrows from six lanes to four lanes — with rusty guardrails flanking the roadside. Trash is everywhere, greeting visiting motorists as they pass through a 1990s-era stucco display that might as well be the entrance to a drug kingpin’s barn — or a trailer park…Worst of all is the pavement which resembles an Afghan airstrip following a sustained bombing barrage.”
Though it’s an interstate highway, I-95 through South Carolina is “owned, operated and maintained by the state,” said Neil Gaffney, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. Gaffney suggested contacting state officials regarding repairs, maintenance and road conditions.
Brandon Charochak, a spokesman for South Carolina Gov. McMaster, referred questions to South Carolina Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kelly Moore. She didn’t respond to questions in two emails. Charochak was contacted again, and then Moore responded.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation, she said, implemented a 10-year plan in 2017 that included an aggressive interstate improvement program, following a significant funding increase.
“We are making significant progress on widening, repaving and making safety improvements across our road network,” Moore said. “I-95 remains a priority, and there are several projects underway, with more being planned and implemented in the future.”
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHY
