S.C. roads, bridges closed by flood dip below 100

Only 96 roads and bridges remained closed Friday across South Carolina after historic flooding washed out roadways earlier in the month.

In hardest-hit Richland County, 34 roads remain closed, down from a peak of 133.

It is not known when 13 of those roads – closed when dams broke – will be reopened. Another 10 will not be reopened until Thanksgiving.

Transportation Department crews have been working 12-hour shifts in affected areas on road repairs.

Interim Transportation Department Secretary Christy Hall praised the hard work of road crews and contractors laboring to return roads and bridges to service.

“They understand the importance of the highway network and the role it plays in the daily lives of our citizens and businesses,” Hall said Friday.

Transportation Department staff have done a magnificent job, said Department of Transportation Commission chairman Jim Rozier of Berkeley County.

The amount of damage done to roads and bridges during the flooding was overwhelming, he said. For example some bridges appeared fine, “but there wasn’t anything holding them up” because the structure had been washed out underneath.

Rozier applauded Hall for pulling road crews from counties not affected by the storm to help in counties that had damage. “It’s been unbelievable to me the amount that they’ve gotten done.”

Hall has been appointed by Gov. Nikki Haley to become Transportation secretary. She must be confirmed by the state Senate.

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 11:15 AM.