RPO Models: South Carolina

Following the passage of the 1991 ISTEA law, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) began partnering with the state’s 10 regional development organizations (known locally as councils of government or COGs) to identify and prioritize highway needs statewide.

The process focuses on generating input from public officials and the general public, and the evaluation of projects on the basis of travel needs and economic development opportunities. The SCDOT Planning Office provides each COG with a list of potential highway construction needs that have been identified based on travel, congestion and accidents for its region. The COGs use these lists to generate feedback from local officials, economic development groups and legislators. Additional construction projects may be identified through this consultation.

Each COG maintains a committee that reviews the project list and data. Project priorities are then recommended to the COG board, which consists of local government officials, state legislators and citizen representatives. Once adopted by the board, the list is then recommended to the SCDOT Transportation Commission.

Project lists from all ten COGs are ultimately used to develop a draft STIP which is presented to the SCDOT Transportation Commission. Once the Commission gives its approval of the STIP, it is given to the COGs for the public review period. Following this exercise, the Commission adopts the STIP and awaits approval by FHWA and FTA.

Several of the COGs incorporate freight transportation into their planning efforts. The Lowcountry COG is planning to conduct an analysis of existing rail and truck volumes and movements within its region. The group is also appraising the impact of existing and proposed ports and international airports upon freight and economic development in the Lowcountry region and surrounding regions.

Under a pilot program, five of the ten South Carolina COGs have also been conducting rural and regional public transportation planning. This includes the identification and central coordination of public transportation providers within the region. The state is expected to include public transportation elements into all ten planning contracts in 2006.

For more information, see:

Lowcountry Council of Governments Work Program (PDF)

Upper Savannah Council of Governments Work Program (PDF)



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