Another $25 million for US 17 through Charleston

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — There’s more money on the way to improve one of South Carolina’s major north-south highways.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley announced Friday the state has awarded another $12.5 for work on U.S. 17 across the Charleston peninsula. The city is matching that amount.

The money will help pay for the second phase of work on the highway.

Charleston last year received $10 million in federal stimulus money to improve drainage on the highway and that work is under way. The highway was built on filled-in creeks and often floods in heavy rains.

The road was an issue during last month’s mayoral election in Charleston with Riley’s opponents claiming he wasn’t doing enough to improve the highway.

Voters re-elected Riley in a landslide to an unprecedented 10th term.