CENTRAL — The Pickens County “C” Fund Committee, which seeks ways to improve infrastructure, will use about $2 million of its $2.4 million next year on resurfacing state roads.

Committee Chairman Ed Martin said two of the highest priority resurfacing projects, Old Keowee Baptist Church Road and Thomas Mill Road, would take place at a combined cost of $1 million. The resurfacing of S.C. Highway 178 from Rice’s Creek Church Road to Liberty will cost an additional $1 million, while safety improvements near Copper River Grill in Easley will involve the remaining $400,000.

“The reason we’re doing more on state roads is because we spent only 5 percent (last year) and are required to spend 25 percent,” Martin said. “This year, we’re having to make that up by spending 45 percent.”

In addition, Martin said about $700,000 in funds remained from the Old Central Bridge and $50,000 from the Odom Bridge replacement projects, as those costs came in lower than anticipated. Those funds are also included in the resurfacing projects.

“We will knock out the two most critical roads on the DOT (Department of Transportation) list (Old Keowee Baptist Church Road and Thomas Mill Road), and there’s probably 20 more roads on that list,” he said. “We’re taking a small bite out of that.”

The old Keowee Church Road resurfacing project will take place off S.C. Highway 133, into Mile Creek Park and the Mile Creek Campground and extend into The Cliffs at Keowee. Thomas Mill Road, located between Six Mile and Pickens, will be resurfaced to provide a wider area for school bus travel.

Both projects total close to four miles of resurfacing.

“We will reconstruct the roads, grinding up old asphalt, mixing cement into the base and compacting it and then adding a two-foot shoulder on the sides,” Martin said. “We will widen the roads to make them safer.”

Bids for the projects are expected to go out in February and work is scheduled to begin sometime next year. Martin estimated it would be a two-month project.

The resurfacing of U.S. Highway 178 from Rice’s Creek Church Road to Liberty will consist of 2 1/2 miles of roadway. Approval was given earlier this month, and Martin said on-call engineers are already measuring the site with the $1 million dollar project going out for bids within the next 30-45 days. Construction is set to begin early next year and be completed by July.

Martin said several turning lanes near Copper River Grill will be installed due to an existing crossover that is considered dangerous. While there will be no traffic signal installation at Copper River itself, he said a traffic signal will be installed on Cardinal Drive near the restaurant.

Martin said one existing project, consisting of improvements to sidewalks in Six Mile, is nearly complete. That project cost an estimated $135,000.

“C” funds are provided by the state and derived from the gasoline tax, with funds used for local road improvements. Each year, Martin said “C” funds are allocated to cities based on their population, road mileage and number of vehicles, and the six Pickens County municipalities receive a portion of the funding.

The “C” Fund committee, which uses its monies to seek matching funds for projects throughout the year, has assisted with beautification projects in Clemson, including projects along S.C. Highway 93 and sidewalks. Martin said the committee also funded the interchange project that paved the way for the Pickens County Commerce Park (at a little more than $3 million, which is the single largest project paid for by “C” funds in the state, and intersection improvements in front of the Central Post Office.

Martin added the committee also successfully fought for the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. Highway 178 and Rice’s Creek Road near the Pickens County Airport.