Monday letters: Are SC road problems due to shoddy construction?

It seems the general consensus from our lawmakers is that the way to repair our crumbling highway system is to throw money at the problem, whether it be from raising the gasoline tax or diverting funds from other budget items.

I wonder if anyone has taken the time to analyze the segments of roads that are failing. In my travels, I have noticed there will be sections that are holding up fine while the adjoining segment of the road will be filled with cracks and potholes. I can’t help but wonder if the underlying problem is substandard materials, lack of proper testing or failure of authorities to ensure the quality control process is followed by highway contractors.

With all of the millions of dollars that have been spent on our roads already, we, as taxpaying citizens, should be able to expect a quality product from the contractors, engineers and inspectors. I do not think that putting more money in the hands of contractors is the solution to our roads issues. If our roads are failing prematurely, then someone needs to be held accountable.

Lexington

This story was originally published May 31, 2015 at 7:56 PM with the headline "Monday letters: Are SC road problems due to shoddy construction?."