South Carolina DOT to Catch Up on Paying Highway Contractors

Delayed payments for South Carolina's highway contractors should be covered now that the Federal Highway Administration has advanced payments to the Department of Transportation.

COLUMBIA - Delayed payments for South Carolina's highway contractors should be covered now that the Federal Highway Administration has advanced payments to the Department of Transportation.

But that's not going to stop the state Senate from launching an inquiry into problems at the agency.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Larry Grooms said the immediate issue is contractors waiting to be paid.

"They need to be paid or they are going to have major problems in the future," Grooms said. DOT "doesn't need to be putting them out of business."

The $52 million in cash, received Wednesday, will cover $680,000 in overdue contractor payments and keep the state Department of Transportation from breaking a state requirement to pay invoices within 30 working days, Transportation Secretary Robert J. St. Onge said.

More at The Item.

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