Could the end be in sight for Whiskey Road repaving?
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Interstate 20 isn’t the only big construction project in town.
Crews are working on a paving project on Whiskey Road in Aiken.
We have a look at the progress, the early reaction and a timeline of when you can expect that work to wrap up.
From city leaders to business owners and those out on the street, they’re all saying the same thing — it’s the smooth ride they’ve been waiting years for.
If you’ve had a rough ride around Aiken, Jeanette Fleming says it’s not you.
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“I used to stop over at Good Year every other day or so, and say, I think my tires need air, because it’s like, I’m going wobbly. And they used to say it’s not your tires. You have air. It is Whiskey Road,” said Fleming.
And when she saw signs of new construction coming to Whiskey Road, she thought the worst.
“I kind of panicked, because I travel east gate, drive to Whiskey Road every day and down to Columbia Avenue, and I’m like, ‘Oh, God no, please don’t. Don’t. Don’t do this to me,’” said Fleming.
Leaders say a lot of high-traffic roads in Aiken are getting a facelift by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, and Whiskey Road is long overdue.
“High volume traffic, 30,000 cars a day when schools are in session and on a workday. So gets a lot of use, and that asphalt needed replacing. And certainly, over the years, as maintenance has been done on some of the infrastructure under the roads, you have to patch it and gets a little bump,” said City Manager Stuart Benenbaugh.
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Right now, no matter which way you go, both of the outer lanes have been paved.
Next up are the inner lanes.
“They’re now working their way back to South Boundary, paving the outer lane and the northbound lane. And then they’ll do the inner lanes and complete the job, and then they’ll put temporary striping down and come back later and put the permanent thermoplastic striping,” said Benenbaugh.
Fleming says her tire guy was right.
“When they started paving, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, it was whiskey road. Excuse me.’ Now I come home smooth sailing. I feel like I’m in a new place. Yeah. So, it’s a very good project,” said Fleming.
They don’t have an official timeline, but city leaders say they expect the project to wrap up by the end of the month.
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