Senate leader ready to scrap Transportation board

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate Republican leader says he’s ready to do away with the Transportation Commission that makes decisions on which roads are built or repaired in the state.

Gaffney Sen. Harvey Peeler told The Greenville News (http://bit.ly/rdw9gY) he’s ready for the next governor to take full control of the transportation department.

Lawmakers revamped the agency’s governing board in 2007, but some are not happy with the results.

Peeler is especially upset that Interstate 85 across the Upstate needs repairs but the commission approved more than $100 million to begin a $2.5 billion project for I-73 to run from I-95 to Myrtle Beach.

Not everyone agrees with Peeler. Fountain Inn Sen. David Thomas says while there are concerns, he sees no reason to change the 2007 law restructuring the agency.

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Information from: The Greenville News, http://www.greenvillenews.com