Traffic Congestion, Road Construction, & Improvement Projects

[Gville2012]

Speaking of banks.... any update on the Certus Bank on Church St?

Edited June 12, 2012 by Gville2012

[GvilleSC]

Power line burial along a portion Haywood Road is scheduled to start this week.

They were out in force yesterday.

Does anyone know what the end result of this project will be (i.e. new sidewalk pulled back from the street, landscaping, pedestrian lighting, etc?), or are all of those elements the developer's responsibility and thus forthcoming when their investment/redevelopment work is completed?

As for Haywood Road investment and improvement is concerned, the old furniture store that is being converted into a self-storage facility is a great improvement! It has a very nice urban approach to the street, and while I'm not sure what the building will ultimately look like, it appears to be fairly nice.

[Gville2012]

On Church St, they are adding a center divider down near where you turn left to go toward Agusta Rd. (infront of the future Certus Bank location). I believe they are also doing this before University when driving from Downtown (they had cones out this morning) and also infront of Zaxby's. Instead of just concrete, in my opinion, these would have been great spots to add more plantings (with the exception of the one infront of Zaxby's which will be very narrow).

[gman430]

GvilleSC, I do know a new mast traffic light will be constructed at Haywood and Woods Crossing Roads along with possibly decorative crosswalks. The SCDOT approved new sidewalks for Haywood Road back in early 2009 as part of ARRA funds, but I don't know if that's still planned or not. No clue if there are any plantings planned or not also except for the landscaped interchange coming to the I-385 at Haywood Road. Funds are already approved for that.

Edited June 14, 2012 by citylife

[gs3]

On Church St, they are adding a center divider down near where you turn left to go toward Agusta Rd. (infront of the future Certus Bank location). I believe they are also doing this before University when driving from Downtown (they had cones out this morning) and also infront of Zaxby's. Instead of just concrete, in my opinion, these would have been great spots to add more plantings (with the exception of the one infront of Zaxby's which will be very narrow).

If there is no room for plantings, stone would be the choice over concrete. Wonder why they are only doing concrete?

[Gville2012]

If there is no room for plantings, stone would be the choice over concrete. Wonder why they are only doing concrete?

Agreed. Was in Charleston recently and they were doing a median that had like a stone/sculpted concrete that looked GREAT.

The weird thing is there is enough room to do some plantings infront of NEXT, and some room down by the future Certus Bank. I would have been find with concrete then a little "island" with plantings.

[GvilleSC]

except for the landscaped interchange coming to the I-385 at Haywood Road. Funds are already approved for that.

When you mention this, you're talking about along the entrance and exit ramps, or what is already planted in the medians at Haywood & 385, or something else? Just curious.

[gs3]

Agreed. Was in Charleston recently and they were doing a median that had like a stone/sculpted concrete that looked GREAT.

Agreed.

Sculpted / scored concrete works well in commercial / municipal projects....looks great for a fraction of the cost. This is the kind of detail that is getting overlooked lately.

[vicupstate]

This is a DOT project, do they approve of that? The Charleston project could perhaps be a county or city owned road.

[gman430]

When you mention this, you're talking about along the entrance and exit ramps, or what is already planted in the medians at Haywood & 385, or something else? Just curious.

Entrance and exit ramps.

[GvilleSC]

Entrance and exit ramps.

Awesome! Thanks!

[ausrutherford]

Laurens needs to be made to 6 lanes from main street to the current three lanes passed Haywood. The Pleasantburg and Church street overpasses needed replacement 15 years ago.

[vicupstate]

Laurens needs to be made to 6 lanes from main street to the current three lanes passed Haywood. The Pleasantburg and Church street overpasses needed replacement 15 years ago.

I never see traffic congested on that section of Laurens. If anything they need to put it on a road diet, like Church St.

[ausrutherford]

I never see traffic congested on that section of Laurens. If anything they need to put it on a road diet, like Church St.

Laurens can back up a half mile leading up to I-385.

[GvilleSC]

Laurens needs to be made to 6 lanes from main street to the current three lanes passed Haywood. The Pleasantburg and Church street overpasses needed replacement 15 years ago.

Bigger isn't always better. Stone Ave Master Plan is much more appropriate than widening.

Edited June 18, 2012 by GvilleSC

[ausrutherford]

Bigger isn't always better. Stone Ave Master Plan is much more appropriate than widening.

Thank you for sharing that, never seen that before.

One thing, where do they plan to send all the traffic that currently goes down it?

[ausrutherford]

If thats the plan...they should have never allowed that waffle house to be built

[vicupstate]

Laurens can back up a half mile leading up to I-385.

That part is already 6 lanes. You referred to the part between DT and Haywood.

[vicupstate]

Thank you for sharing that, never seen that before.

One thing, where do they plan to send all the traffic that currently goes down it?

Stone would still be able to handle it's current traffic. Much of Stone has too much capacity, such that speeding is very prevalent. Taking the left turn traffic out of the mix (as the plan does) will do more to make for smooth traffic flow than leaving it 4 laned. E. North St. between DAT and Pleasantburg is a prime example.

[ausrutherford]

That part is already 6 lanes. You referred to the part between DT and Haywood.

That is 385.

Stone would still be able to handle it's current traffic. Much of Stone has too much capacity, such that speeding is very prevalent. Taking the left turn traffic out of the mix (as the plan does) will do more to make for smooth traffic flow than leaving it 4 laned. E. North St. between DAT and Pleasantburg is a prime example.

They perhaps should allow 2 turning lanes onto I-385 from the Laurens side. That would divert traffic would have gone down Stone to downtown.

[HomerJay]

The narrowing of Stone is the most important part of the Stone Avenue Master Plan. It would enable that street to evolve into a great neighborhood corridor and also function as an extension of downtown/Main Street. The narrowing is also the biggest impediment, since it is a US Highway. I think 276 should turn off Laurens at E. North to go toward downtown. That way, it would connect to Beattie/College, thereby giving access to Academy and Buncombe.

[ausrutherford]

The narrowing of Stone is the most important part of the Stone Avenue Master Plan. It would enable that street to evolve into a great neighborhood corridor and also function as an extension of downtown/Main Street. The narrowing is also the biggest impediment, since it is a US Highway. I think 276 should turn off Laurens at E. North to go toward downtown. That way, it would connect to Beattie/College, thereby giving access to Academy and Buncombe.

Could they just ask the USDOT to do that or would it take an act of congress?

When are they suppose to start the narrowing of Stone (and I guess the rest of Main) anyway?

[HomerJay]

Could they just ask the USDOT to do that or would it take an act of congress?

When are they suppose to start the narrowing of Stone (and I guess the rest of Main) anyway?

It's a USDOT matter, but I don't think it's an easy task to convince them to make changes. It would take political will on the part of Greenville and SCDOT to pressure them to re-route the highway. I recently spoke with the traffic engineer who worked on the Stone Avenue master plan. He hadn't heard of any significant progress or even efforts being made to start the process. Friends of Stone Avenue now exists mainly to keep reminding city leaders that the plan exists.

The master plan was adopted by the city, but it's more a statement of intent than anything else. There are plenty of master plans sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust. It's really a shame since the city spent a lot of money to bring in Dover Kohl to do the plan and they did good work. Every time I walk down that street I think of those renderings and dream of what it could be, rather than what it is, which is a noisy, difficult to cross, barren thoroughfare.

[Gville2012]

They turned the traffic lights on on Church St. yesterday, and removed the old ones at University. The Peral Ave. ones are just blinking lights for now. All additional curbing has been added. All I can see that really needs to be finished is the painting of the bike lane, removal of old street lights still on old electric poles, and bottom caps for the smaller street lights.

[vicupstate]

I think it will take time, but I don't think it had been abandoned. The first order of business was convincing SCDOT that is was a good idea. That would be needed before USDOT could buy into moving the Highway.

I think the city should work first on North Main between Academy and Stone. I think that is where any behind the scenes progress is being made.