GETTING ANSWERS: Madden Bridge Road

CENTRAL, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - We know about the issues on Madden Bridge Road, in Pickens County.

The road is in Central, between Highway 93 and Six Mile Highway.

Your submissions told us the conditions were bad from Six Mile Highway to R.C. Edwards Middle School. So, we looked into this for you.

Gabe Boggs describes the drive.

“It’s like driving down a gravel road that has been washed out,” Boggs said, “It’s ridiculous. It feels like your car is in a washing machine.”

This is due to the potholes and patches. Tony Oshields says it’s difficult to avoid them.

“There are parts where you, literally, have to slow down or, if you don’t, you’re going to tear something out from underneath your car,” said Oshields.

Two schools are off this road; R.C. Edwards Middle and D.W. Daniel High School. The state’s Department of Transportation says Madden Bridge can see anywhere from 3,400 to 4,800 vehicles per day. Lisa Boyd tells us while the traffic gets worse, so does the road.

“In the last year, it has gotten worse with the potholes,” Boyd said, “Sometimes, you actually...if you hit one, it will make you feel like you’re about to go off the road.”

Boyd works at a convenience store off the road. She believes it’s been a decade since she’s seen any work.

“They patch it. They don’t pave it,” said Boyd, “And gosh, it probably has been, I know, over ten years.”

The SCDOT doesn’t have record of the last time Madden Bridge Road was paved, but crews have addressed four potholes over the past year.

Boggs says it isn’t improving the ride.

“It’s pretty rough,” said Boggs, “You’ll definitely sustain some vehicle damage, if you’re not careful.”

If someone has sustained vehicle damage, they haven’t reported it to the DOT, as they say they have no claims. The state Highway Patrol says there have been 36 crashes over the last four years. That’s low compared to other roads we’ve covered.

Oshields has some creative ways to get around the holes.

“Swerving from side-to-side to dodge a lot of them,” said Oshields.

Drivers don’t want to have to dodge anything. Oshields says having better roads just makes things easier for everyone.

“It’s ease of use to get back and forth to work without to having to...’Well, I’m going to have to cut 15 minutes out of my driving time or add it because of the highways,” said Oshields.

I can report that the SCDOT says Madden Bridge Road was included in the 2023 Pavement Improvement Program.

Boggs is looking forward to it.

“It just makes commuting easier and more comfortable. And, right now, at the state that we’re at, comfort is something that we all need,” said Boggs.

That work has a letting date of January 2023. That’s when they will receive bids for improvements a few months before construction.

Submit a roadway here.

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