SC DOT: Let residents pay for their own driveway

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The director of South Carolina’s transportation department says residents should be paving their own driveways.

Transportation Secretary Robert St. Onge told a House panel Thursday that it’s unfair for some residents to get a free driveway courtesy of the state budget.

State law requires his agency to install, maintain and remove driveways within the right-of-way of state roads.

St. Onge wants legislators to suspend that law in the coming state budget. Under his request, the state would pay only to provide access to residents’ property.

In the last fiscal year, the state spent $6 million on nearly 10,000 driveways. St. Onge says that money that should be spent on major roadways.

St. Onge made the request during his budget presentation to a House Ways and Means subcommittee.