ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — More than 50 roads in Orangeburg County remain closed following last month's historic flooding, and one of them may never reopen.
At the peak of the problem over 100 roads were closed, and residents were told to expect significant delays until repairs could be made. As of Wednesday, 56 roads are still shut down, with local officials saying the closures are having a significant impact on businesses in the area.
Jeff Washington, the mayor of North, said that the ongoing road closures are hurting local commerce. "A lot of our businesses are getting hurt because they were counting on that traffic," Washington said. "There are about 10,000 cars that come through North every day, and we’re not having that now."
One of the roads, Longbranch Road, may remain closed permanently. Orangeburg County Council has agreed to cease maintenance on a portion of the road which was heavily damaged during the floods. The bridge was washed out and much of the road was destroyed. However, local residents, including hunters with a nearby hunting club, still have access to the area.
Councilman Joseph Garvin explained that the decision to close the road came as a result of the flood damage. "Nobody really travels that road. School buses don’t go there, there’s no traffic, and that’s why we are potentially wanting to close it," Garvin said. He added that county lawyers are in the process of contacting property owners to discuss their options moving forward.
Since the flooding, 123 roads in the county have reopened, though it remains unclear when the remaining roads will be repaired and accessible.