Making Whiskey Flow: Stimulus Money Could Help Aiken Traffic Congestion Problems

Aiken, SC—If you’ve ever driven on Whiskey Road, you know it’s not always easy.

Leland Abner, Aiken, SC: “Between 11 and 6 at night, it’s…ridiculous!“

The stretch of road has plenty of traffic lights…and some drivers think they create more problems than they solve:

Merrill Williams, Bath, SC: “They got so many red lights now, they’re stopping the traffic every time you turn around.“

Abner: “Driving on this road five days a week, I know if I’m not on it at the right time, I hit every traffic light. Everyone will go red on me.“

‘Do Not Block Intersection’ signs are displayed, but not always obeyed.

Jameka Jackson, New Ellenton, SC: “Everybody’s trying to get through the lights so fast to keep from getting stopped.“

Je-Nay Reid, Aiken, SC: “Synchronized lights would help, because they don’t change, right? Some of them change before others do. If they were synchronized, that would be a big help.“

City leaders think the same. They have seen the light…seen it doesn’t always change in time with the one ahead.

So some of the lights will be immediately re-timed to keep things rolling along.

Williams: “Keep the traffic flowing better.“

Later on down the road, leaders say they’ll use stimulus money to interconnect all lights on this road…as well as add sidewalks and work on other safety improvements…all in an effort to keep things running smoothly on Whiskey Road.

And that’s a drive…

Brian Hammett, Bath, SC: “Anything to help out.“

Jackson: “I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to try.“

These drivers support.

City Manager Roger LeDuc tells us the money for the “quick fix” of re-timing some lights now will be paid for by the South Carolina Department of Transportation. He’d like to see those bigger changes to synchronize all the lights on Whiskey Road done by the end of the year.