Government should be accountable, efficient and operate in the public interest. The S.C. Department of Transportation fails on all counts.

A few years ago, the Sierra Club evaluated all of the state departments of transportation. The resulting grade for South Carolina, not surprisingly, was an “F” because the department sees itself only as a “highway department.”

The Legislature has been so dissatisfied with the services provided by the Transportation Department that it has repeatedly refused to consider an increase in the fuels tax rate to support the department. We now have the third-lowest gas tax in the nation as our transportation system declines.

The recent Legislative Audit Council report revealed millions in squandered taxpayer dollars, an all-too-cozy relationship with contractors and no rational planning process.

When the chairman of the Transportation Commission found fault with the direction of the department, the director felt secure enough to criticize him in public, both orally and in writing.

The department has neglected alternative modes of transportation. It has failed to take advantage of the millions of federal dollars in “flexible funds” available for non-highway transportation projects. Certainly public transit, bike lanes, sidewalks and inter-city rail deserve funding along with air-polluting highway transportation.

The department has neglected the environment. The filling of wetlands for highways has caused flooding on the coast. It opposes eliminating the Congaree River causeway on U.S. 601, which is damaging wildlife habitat. It supports building new highways through a Heritage Trust site and over pristine areas of the Waccamaw River. Everywhere in the state, its lack of planning has caused sprawl, congestion, frustration and pollution.

The department has neglected the “fix-it-first” philosophy. It would rather build now and worry about maintenance costs later. The evidence of this shortsighted policy is revealed throughout the state.

These problems will not be corrected until the structure of the decision-making process is changed. Six regional legislative caucuses each choose one of the Transportation commissioners, the theoretical policy-making body for the department. This structure gives legislators the illusion they are in control. The truth is, no one is in control.

The governor can only appoint the commission chair. Of the seven commissioners, this is the only person answerable to someone else.

A bad governance structure has resulted in substandard service. The public deserves better. It is up to the Legislature to change it.

Mr. Isham is director of the state chapter of the Sierra Club.