South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank Approves Road Funding Plan South Carolina Construction News staff writer The South Carolina Transportation Infrastruc- ture Bank Board (SCTIB) has voted unani- mously to approve a project list that provides up to $550 million in funding for a mix of both construction and design work on the South Carolina's Interstate Highway System. Leslie Hope, the director of government re- lations and divisions for the Carolinas AGC, says South Carolina has the fourth largest state-maintained highway system in the nation with 41,444 lane miles. She says that expanse of road- ways, combined with low taxes, has resulted in roads that are in poor condition and sometimes dangerous for driv- ers. “South Carolina’s current gas tax of 16.75 cents per gal- lon is the third lowest in the nation and was last raised in 1987 by three cents. It has never been adjusted for inflation or additional increases since that time,” she says. “South Carolina has a $29 bil- lion road need and the business community pulled together this past session to make our legislators keenly aware of the road funding needs in our state.” Another group interested in the road proj- ects is the South Carolina Alliance to Fix our Roads (SCFOR). The organization, comprised of 34 companies including car and truck rental agencies, 18 state wide associations from AAA to tourism and 30 or so local chambers of commerce, has been in existence since 1981 under a variety of different names but has always focused on improving transporta- tion systems. Executive director Bill Ross says current conditions are the result of past governors’ policies of no tax, in theory Consistent, successful project delivery with no surprises! Our team delivers the consistent value and on time performance customers expect from a full service mechanical contractor. Let us show YOU the Waldrop difference on your next project. • HVAC • Piping • Plumbing • Fabrication • Building Automation • Design • Maintenance • Geothermal • Solar OFFICE LOCATIONS: SPARTANBURG – GREENVILLE – CLEMSON waldropinc.com 864-578-7252 The South Carolina Construction News — December 2013 / January 2014 – 15