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SC Highway 9 Widening

GSP Tiger

By GSP Tiger
in Spartanburg

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hub-city Hamlet

hub-city

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The last I heard was to widen up to hyw. 292 which is a little before you get to the lake. However, they did announce a few weeks back that there were plans to replace the Hwy. 9 bridge over the lake. It would make sense then to go ahead and widen up to Hwy. 11.

Also, widening the two lane protion is great, but some of the main congestion is where it is already widened especially near I-85. In my dream world they would be proactive, and take say Valley Falls road where it begins at the old Norfolk/Southern shops near Hearon Circle, make it a nice 4 lane road all the way into BS. The new bridge over I-585 near USC Upstate can handle the lanes. I would also add an interchange where it goes under I-85. This would provide a new artery into BS and could provide for more economic development there. (maybe not a great urban idea, but I live up at the lake, purely selfish reasons)

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Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

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The HJ said they were widening it to 292, but that the bridge over Lake Bowen would be replaced and widened. This is being done with money from the federal highway bill that was passed a few weeks ago.

I also heard an unconfirmed rumor that the long range plan was to extend 585 up to Boiling Springs, so that there is an alternate route into town besides hwy 9.

I have mixed feelings about this. It is a generally accepted fact that building these spurs creates more sprawl, and the Boiling Springs area does NOT need more of that.

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GSP Tiger Burg

GSP Tiger

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I rather not see an interstate spur into Boiling Springs. 585 is probably better off being extended to 26 westward of the US 176 interchange.

I rather improve existing roads to maximize their full potential. Old Furnace Road quickly comes to mind. Stretching from Asheville Highway over to Chesnee Highway, there is plenty of developments goin up along this road. Widening it to four lanes I am sure is a few years away.

Do any plans exist to widen 9 all the way up into North Carolina? US 221 from Chesnee to the state line is in the early stages of becoming a four lane highway.

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  • 3 years later...
Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

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So here we are three years later and we FINALLY have an answer to this one. Highway 9 has gotten the green light to be widened.

The Spartanburg Area Transportation Study (SPATS) policy committee, comprised mainly of elected officials, voted unanimously on a project design that includes widening Highway 9 to four lanes from Rainbow Lake Road to Seay Road ($17 million) and improving the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 292 ($2.5 million).

Woody Willard represents the Chamber of Commerce on the committee and said the project is long overdue and would likely be completed if county voters would have approved a one-cent sale tax referendum in 1998.

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roads-scholar Burg

roads-scholar

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So here we are three years later and we FINALLY have an answer to this one. Highway 9 has gotten the green light to be widened.

The best part about this widening is that it is going to include bike lanes, sidewalks, and a planted median. If you read the article, it discusses all of the benefits of these features, the most obvious of which is to not create a visually unappealing road like the current 5 lane section of Hwy 9.

Article

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Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

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I was disappointed with the 295 widening, but they did include a ped/bike trail along one side of it, so they get a few points in my book for that. But in general, that is the kind of road we want to avoid building in the future. Especially with no trees lining the sides. The extra cost is worth it.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

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WOW! Is that really the cross section they are going to use??

If they do that, Highway 9 will be transformed from one of the ugliest roads in the county to one of the most attractive (well, on that part of it).

The planting strip is key on high volume, high speed roads like that.

Best news I've heard all day.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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