CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE INTRODUCES POTHOLE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT: “FIX IT IN TEN DAYS OR TELL US WHY”
Gubernatorial candidate unveils proposal requiring SCDOT to track and publish pothole repair times
Congresswoman Nancy Mace, candidate for Governor of South Carolina, today proposed the Pothole Accountability Act, legislation she drafted that would require the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to establish a public online dashboard tracking every pothole report and how long it takes to fix.
“South Carolinians deserve to know that when they report a problem, someone is listening and there is a tracking mechanism,” said Rep. Mace. “This proposal is simple: fix it in ten days or tell us why you can’t.”
The proposal would require SCDOT to:
- Publish an interactive map showing every reported pothole and road defect
- Display how many days each request has been open
- Provide an explanation for any repair taking longer than ten days
- Report weekly statistics on response times by county
- Make the information available for download
The ten-day standard puts South Carolina ahead of most state transportation departments nationwide. Major cities like Chicago target seven days; Boston and Washington, D.C. aim for 48-72 hours.
“SCDOT maintains over 41,000 miles of roads across 46 counties. I’m not asking for a miracle,” Rep. Mace continued. “I’m asking for better transparency. If a pothole in Anderson County is going to take one month because there’s one crew covering four counties, fine – just tell people that. Sunlight is the best transparency.”
The proposal includes a liability shield protecting the state from lawsuits, ensuring the solution focuses on accountability and transparency rather than litigation.
