ROCK HILL, S.C. — The gas tax in South Carolina rose two cents Thursday, marking a planned July 1 incremental increase in the money collected to repair roads statewide.
The gas tax, which increased from 24 cents to 26 cents per gallon, will help fund paving projects for a thousand roads in 2021 and 2022. An interactive map shows which roads will be upgraded as part of the pavement improvement project.
In York County, portions of Albright Road and Main Street East are slated for reconstruction. Rehabilitation projects are scheduled for portions of Highway 5, Anderson Road, and Filbert Highway.
In Lancaster County, portions of Monroe Highway and Cedar Creek Road will be reconstructed.
In Chester County, JA Cochran Bypass and Dawson Drive are among the roads scheduled for improvement.
In Chesterfield County, Highway 52 will have over five miles of pavement rehabilitation.
Since first being approved in 2017, the tax has risen two cents annually in July. Next year, when the tax rises to 28 cents, will be the last scheduled increase as a part of this initiative.
The price increase comes just in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend travel.
"Higher gas prices, higher hotels, higher rental car prices. It’s not gonna stop anybody from traveling," Tiffany Wright of AAA of the Carolinas said.
The demand for gasoline has almost returned to pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, according to Patrick De Haan, the petroleum analyst at Gas Buddy.
"At some point this summer, we could be talking about all-time highs," he said.
AAA said the demand returned during the Memorial Day weekend holiday.
A continued truck driver shortage has continued to lead to isolated incidents of gas stations running low on fuel inventory. Experts said there is no gas shortage and supplies remain high.