A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "FIX OUR ROADS ACCOUNTABILITY ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 57-1-510 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A STATEWIDE PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES, IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM THROUGH ITS ENGINEERING DISTRICTS, AND TO PROVIDE ANNUAL REPORTING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Fix Our Roads Accountability Act."

 

SECTION 2.  Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 57 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 57-1-510.  (A) The Secretary of the Department of Transportation shall establish and administer a statewide pavement preservation program designed to extend the useful life of state-maintained highways and reduce long-term maintenance and reconstruction costs.

    (B) The program must be consistent with the pavement preservation principles and guidelines recommended by the Federal Highway Administration, including preventive maintenance treatments designed to maintain pavement conditions before significant deterioration occurs.

    (C) The program must include:

       (1) a systematic pavement condition evaluation process for all state-maintained highways;

       (2) identification of preventive maintenance treatments appropriate to pavement condition and roadway classification;

       (3) a lifecycle-based approach emphasizing "right treatment, right time" pavement management practices; and

       (4) integration with the department's pavement management and asset management systems.

    (D) The secretary shall administer the pavement preservation program through the department's engineering district offices, ensuring that each district develops and implements preservation strategies appropriate to its roadway network.

    (E) The department shall prioritize preservation activities on roadways classified as being in fair or

good condition in order to prevent deterioration into poor condition.

    (F) On or before January thirty-first of each year, the secretary shall submit a Pavement Preservation

Program Report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Transportation Committees.

    (G) The Pavement Preservation Program report must include, at minimum:

       (1) pavement condition data for the state highway system;

       (2) preservation treatments applied during the previous fiscal year;

       (3) total miles of roadway treated through preservation activities;

       (4) cost of preservation treatments compared to reconstruction or major rehabilitation costs;

       (5) a regional breakdown of preservation activities and expenditures; and

       (6) projected pavement condition trends for the next five years.

    The report must identify pavement preservation activities conducted in each regional operational area and must include lane miles preserved, treatment types, expenditures by region, and changes in pavement condition ratings.

    The department shall publish the annual Pavement Preservation Program Report on its public website for public transparency.

 

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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