Rising costs impact future road projects in Aiken
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Due to the rising costs of road paving materials, certain projects in the city of Aiken will be affected.
According to the Aiken City manager, paving one mile of road could cost about $1 million, which could lead to some projects being delayed.
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One of the projects that remains a high priority is the Pickens Place neighborhood.
“I think this neighborhood was built around 2001, 2002, something like that, so that’s like, what, 25, almost 25 years old? It’s kind of rough, really,” said Larry Key, a resident of the Pickens Place neighborhood.
When the road started to show its age, Larry Key didn’t wait for someone else to fix it.
“As far as this drive around our neighborhood, I know that I’ve filled in at least a couple of potholes over the years myself,” explained Key.
And he’s not the only one hoping for a smoother journey.
“There are potholes and there are lots of tree trunks that are growing underneath the surface and then, you know, breaking up,” said Angie Richards, who lives in the Pickens place neighborhood. “The asphalt makes it hard to drive on and doesn’t look really good.”
The bumps have become a part of life, but they’re not the only challenge Aiken’s streets face.
“The cost to pave a standard city road is about $900,000 a mile. the cost of raw materials, labor, equipment, and so forth. has risen,” said Stuart Bedenbaugh, the Aiken City Manager.
And the price of projects is nearly doubling.
“We did an intersection improvement at Daughtery Road that was completed in around 2018, early 2019. That job was done for under $3,000,000 and when we were pricing similar work elsewhere. I asked our consultant recently what that job would cost today, and he said about $5,000,000 to $6,000,000,” explained Bedenbaugh.
The city says they’ve faced many challenges, with Hurricane Helene deepening the cracks.
“I’d say we’re probably about a year behind in our paving plan just because of our Hurricane Helene,” said Bedenbaugh.
The road ahead may be bumpy, but for those who call Pickens Place home, it’s worth it.
“I care about this neighborhood and it’s full of great people, so I’d like for it to stay a high priority. I’m thankful for it to get done. That’d be great,” said Richards.
Pickens Place should be paved later this year. The city says the Springstone area is also on the list.
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