Point/Counterpoint

JEN GIBSON

 

Solving our infrastructure issues will significantly improve our quality of life. I am excited to share my plan to improve our existing roads and bring more infrastructure dollars to fund new projects in the Charleston area. 

 

As your representative, I plan to introduce legislative reforms that allow the SCDOT to execute its statewide strategic plan that prioritizes many Charleston-area infrastructure projects. 

I recommend the following changes:

 

• Use all the money collected from the gas tax increase to maintain and repair our primary road system. 

 

• Return non-federal aid secondary routes to local governments and fund maintenance and improvements through the existing county funding program. 

 

• Abolish the SC Transportation Infrastructure Bank and Department of Transportation Commission and return control to the SCDOT. 

 

• Reduce redundancy by consolidating statewide and county planning into one strategic plan. 

 

South Carolina has underfunded road maintenance for decades, and recent reforms were too little, too late. We passed the gas tax increase to pay for road maintenance, but we divert the funds to other purposes. It will take decades to get our roads back to a “good” rating. New roads and bridges cannot come at the expense of maintaining our existing roads and bridges.

 

Traffic congestion costs the average Charlestonian over $1,000 a year. Investing a little today will save even more tomorrow. We need to add funding sources to pay for new infrastructure development. We can continue to partner with large businesses in the area to finance local road projects that benefit their business interests. The legislature should also explore new ways to raise capital. Options could include increasing the sales tax cap on vehicle purchases or implementing a road use tax in high impact areas. 

 

For over a decade, the SCDOT has talked about widening I-526, and cost estimates have ballooned to over a billion dollars. Bottom line, expanding lanes is going to be expensive, disruptive, and obsolete. We need to recognize good infrastructure planning is about moving people and goods, not widening roads. We need to broaden our definition of infrastructure development.

 

First, we should focus on adding and improving alternative travel patterns rather than a wholesale widening project to reduce the project’s impact and create a plan that better meets our future growth needs. Second, we partner with the South Carolina State Ports Authority to develop innovative solutions for moving cargo into and out of the ports using waterways, rail, and dedicated traffic lanes. Third, we invest in rapid mass transit. We need to fully fund the Lowcountry Rapid Transit line connecting all towns in the Charleston area, and make improvements to CARTA, so using it is both efficient and enjoyable. 

 

My approach has been to identify why the problem exists, find solutions, and implement them. Two hard truths exist when it comes to tackling the funding for infrastructure development. First, the State Senate’s existing leadership must relinquish its tight control of the infrastructure funding process. I am not afraid to challenge leadership in the General Assembly to do what is best for the Charleston area and our state. Second, we need to invest in our state’s roads and bridges. I am the right person to lead our district through this complicated process. 

 

As a small business owner, I understand how important it is to use our limited resources wisely and invest in improving our quality of life. I don’t have business or development interests influencing my decision-making process. I will always tell you the truth, even when it is something hard to hear. I am asking for your vote on Nov. 3rd to serve and represent your interests in our General Assembly. 

 

For more information, visit jenforsc.com.