Copyright Live 5 News WCSC
WEST ASHLEY, S.C. (WCSC) – More than 50,000 passengers travel daily on a dangerous stretch of Highway 61 that could take nine years and over $100 million to fix. State Representative Gary Brewer secured $2 million for a preliminary traffic study. Charleston County has had a third party conduct the study. The project lacks funding for preliminary design, estimated at $5.9 million. Brewer plans to ask for additional funding during the legislative session in January. “In about a mile and a half stretch, we [need] to have everything that you can possibly imagine,” Brewer said. “So, we’ve got to sit down and go through and figure out where we can widen, where we can’t widen, how we can stage construction.” The South Carolina Department of Transportation data shows 2,008 car accidents, 28 bike accidents and 18 pedestrian crashes occurred from July 2017 to June 30, 2022. The department proposed safety updates in March that could begin construction in early 2026, including high visibility crosswalks, bike lanes and ADA ramps. Brewer said those changes represent a small portion of the massive overhaul Highway 61 needs.
