Rep. Bowen pushes for I-85 widening

A state lawmaker from Anderson County says he’s a regular at monthly meetings of the South Carolina Transportation Commission to press the need for roadwork in the Upstate—especially Interstate-85. But Rep. Don Bowen says it’s going to take more than being a nag to get action on three-laning 85 from Anderson County exit 19 through Oconee County to the Georgia line. The volume of traffic both directions is more than enough to justify the widening, in Bowen’s estimation. Act 114 must be change, he says: “114 prioritizes roads almost completely based on the volume and the highest ones always get the money. Well, needless to say Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville will get all the money and these outlying counties (Anderson and Oconee among them) won’t get any of it,” Bowen told 96.3/WGOG NEWS. The lawmaker says he seeks to amend Act 114 to make economic development a major parameter changing the road work money formula.