David Beaty, a Senior Principal for Stantec, spoke at the Cayce-West Columbia Chamber Breakfast, Tuesday, at Stone River. Stantec provides sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting services. Beaty manages large transportation projects including lane widenings, intersection improvements, dirt road paving, and a resurfacing programs.

For Lexington County, Stantec prepared a data-driven plan that incorporates an analysis of the existing transportation system. It identified corridors and locations that merit the greatest attention; a list of transportation improvement projects that include phasing options based on implementation feasibility, and strategies for local regulators, and policy makers to preserve and enhance transportation systems in Lexington County for improved traffic flow and mobility.

Part of the plan ranks the roads in Lexington County based on where improvement is needed to alleviate problems.

Beaty said US 378 and US 1 are at the top of the list where attention is needed. Also listed were Hwy 6 (Lake Drive in Lexington) Hwy 321, and Hwy. 76 in Chapin. The frequency of crashes was also part of the study. Part of the solution would be to widen roads, improve intersections and pave roads.

Beaty said to do everything needed would cost $3.2 billion. To do half of what is needed would cost $1.6 billion. To do one-third of what is needed would cost $800 million.

He also said an 8-year, 1 percent sales tax in Lexington County would generate $767 million to improve roads. The question on whether the tax should be added will be on the November 2027 ballot.