Our editorial view: Lake Wylie thrill rides found on roadways

If you’re a fan of the new wild rides at Carowinds, we have good news for you. The Lake Wylie area has a couple of wild rides of its own, and the price of admission is free.

These rides could be known as Intimidator One and Intimidator Two, but their more mundane names are SC Highway 274 and Pole Branch Road, and you ride them at your own risk because around virtually every turn there as a pothole waiting for you. And indeed you may have to pay a price for your journey. One recent rider told us she had to shell out $500 to replace a damaged tire and bent wheel rims.

Someday these thrill rides will be a distant memory, thanks to York County voters’ approval of the Pennies for Progress program with plans underway to improve them. But just how long will we wait?

According to Pennies for Progress website, the redesign for these roads is more than 50 percent completed. Construction is scheduled for completion by 2020. Meanwhile thousands of new residents are arriving to add more wear and tear to these already stressed pieces of asphalt, and as soon as one pothole gets repaired another appears.

It looks like drivers will have to grin and bear the situation for a while longer. But there are some things we can do to coexist with those bone-jarring potholes. Report potholes to South Carolina Department of Transportation at 1-855-GO-SCDOT. If a car is damaged, the South Carolina Tort Claims Act allows filing a claim against SCDOT. Filing information is available at 803-737-1260.

So next time you’re out on Intimidator One or Intimidator Two, keep your eyes open. There could be a pothole out there with your name on it.

This story was originally published September 14, 2015 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Our editorial view: Lake Wylie thrill rides found on roadways."