A smoother ride: Bamberg, Calhoun, Orangeburg roads getting repairs

Bowman Branch Highway (S.C. 210) from Freedom Road (U.S. 21) near Branchville to Charleston Highway (U.S. 178) in Bowman is slated for reconstruction as part of the S.C. Department of Transportation’s 2025 Pavement Improvement Plan.

Reconstruction is required when there is damage throughout the pavement, not just on the surface. The pavement must be totally removed down to the soil, meaning the roadway must be rebuilt, according to SCDOT.

SCDOT’s 2025 Pavement Improvement Plan includes improvements for roads in Bamberg, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

All the projects are slated for rehabilitation with the exception of Bowman Branch, which will get the more extensive reconstruction. Rehabilitation includes grinding the road down to a smooth surface, with new asphalt finishing the project.

There are 27 roads overall in Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg counties that are slated for improvements as part of the improvement plan.

The area roads slated for work are:

ORANGEBURG COUNTY

Major roads/primary routes

• 5.40 miles of Old State Road (U.S. 176) from Five Chop Road (U.S. 301) to Antioch Road

• .78 miles of North Road from Savannah Highway (U.S. 321) to a little past Salley Road near North

• 10.07 miles of Bowman Branch Highway (S.C. 210) from Freedom Road (U.S. 21) near Branchville to Charleston Highway (U.S. 178) in Bowman

• 6.43 miles of Charleston Highway (U.S. 178) from southeast of Bowman to the Dorchester County line

Farm-to-market secondary roads

• 6.43 miles of Cattle Creek Road from Freedom Road (U.S. 21) to Bowman Branch Highway (S.C. 210)

Neighborhood Streets

• 1.62 miles of Bozard Road from Five Chop Road (U.S. 301) to Old Elloree Road, east of Orangeburg

• .08 miles of Ferris Street from Sawaga Street to near Irvin Street in the Brookdale area of Orangeburg

• .24 miles of Sawaga Street from Lawton Road to Seawright Street in the Brookdale area of Orangeburg

• .16 miles of Swinton Road from Beulah Street to Seawright Street in the Brookdale area of Orangeburg

• .25 miles of Walker Avenue from Whittaker Parkway (U.S. 21 Bypass) to Gadsden Street in Orangeburg

• .06 miles of Clinton Street from Atlantic Avenue to Walker Avenue in the Wilkinson Heights community of Orangeburg

• .10 miles of Dacosta Lane from Atlantic Avenue to Myers Road in the Wilkinson Heights community of Orangeburg

• .14 miles of Scisa Drive from St. Matthews Road near the Stilton community of Orangeburg

• .68 miles of Medway Drive from Riverbank Drive to Exeter Drive in the Meadowridge area Orangeburg

• 1.01 miles of Cleckley Boulevard/Kellog Avenue in the Turkey Hill community of Orangeburg

• 1.15 miles of Seif/Sheppard/Kellog Avenue in the Turkey Hill community of Orangeburg

• 2.09 miles of Fanning Road from Middle Willow Road to Calvary Church Road near Neeses

BAMBERG COUNTY

Major roads/primary routes

• 8.94 miles of U.S. 321 Carolina Highway between about Sandspur Road, through the towns of Govan and Olar, and to Veneer Road

Farm-to-market secondary roads

• 4.04 miles of Thunder Road from Ehrhardt Road to the Barnwell County line

Neighborhood streets

• .95 miles of Sixth Street in Olar from U.S. 321 to Low Country Highway

CALHOUN COUNTY

Major roads/primary routes

• 2.21 miles of St. Matthews Road south of St. Matthews from FR Huff Drive to Moorer Road

• .36 miles of Old State Road (U.S. 176) of Wertz Crossroads intersection

Farm-to-market secondary roads

• 2.34 miles of Old Belleville Road north of St. Matthews from Basswood Lane to Purple Martin Drive

Neighborhood streets

• 1.45 miles of Church Camp Road just outside of Cameron from Cameron Road (S.C. 33) to Dwight Swamps Road

• .19 miles of Lamplighter Drive from Old State Road (U.S. 176) to Old Belleville Road

• .09 miles Hill Street in St. Matthews from Ellis Avenue to Turkey Heights Street

• .07 miles of Phillips Court from Country Club Road

The area road projects are a part of $719 million in pavement improvements planned across the state.

The improvements are on top of previously invested $3.6 billion in pavement improvements across the state since the Strategic 10-Year plan was implemented.

This is the eighth year of an accelerated pavement improvement program. This round of approved projects adds another 727 miles of roads to the more than 8,800 miles of completed and ongoing road work.

The agency’s Strategic 10-Year Plan was implemented after a significant increase in funding provided by the General Assembly in the 2017 Roads Bill.

The increased and sustainable revenue stream gave the agency the opportunity to make strides toward improving the state’s highway system. The program focuses on four key areas including highway safety, bridges, road resurfacing and interstate capacity.