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Downtown has come a long way.. I remember when people were afraid to walk any further south than the Opera House. I was at a City Council meeting and some old guy was ripping into City Council for investing in downtown and said the entire area needed to be turn into a parking lot for Tuomey and the County Courts. This was in the 90s. I am sure he is either dead or moved out of the City in protest.
I am surprised that Sumter and Columbia don't do more "regional" activities such as planning together.. Both are totally independent of one another while places like Greenville Spartanburg and Charleston (North Charleston) seem to coordinate together. Granted they are closer together.. but Sumter and Columbia do share commuters and things like local TV/Radio Advertising Markets to be more of a "region" I joked about the Airport but I can see Sumter and Columbia working more together than Lexington and Columbia.. for various reasons...
Yeah true, but Columbia is not far at all to me, I have mad that drive in 30 minutes many times, depending on the traffic and time of day. And so many people I know over there turn their noses up at Sumter. Many have never even been over here and have no desire, and some just think we are country bumpkins. And I'm just talking about some of the people that was in my reserve unit over there, but they will be surprised. I know people from Columbia who work over here everyday, and a few who even moved here.
It is time to look at widening United States Routes 15, 76 and 521 to four lanes from Sumter to Interstates 20 and 95 respectively.
Well, I can tell you this from experience. I drive 76 and 15 fairly regularly and I can honestly see no need in spending that kind of money. The traffic on those 2 roads is extremely minimal. 521 has been widened to the south to 95 and that makes for an easy connection. And of course 378 has long been 4 lanes to 95. It was my understanding that 521 would eventually be expanded to 4 lanes all the way from CLT to the beach. This has already happened at several spots. I just wish Dalzell to Camden would be next. To me, that should be the next major priority.
Well, I can tell you this from experience. I drive 76 and 15 fairly regularly and I can honestly see no need in spending that kind of money. The traffic on those 2 roads is extremely minimal. 521 has been widened to the south to 95 and that makes for an easy connection. And of course 378 has long been 4 lanes to 95. It was my understanding that 521 would eventually be expanded to 4 lanes all the way from CLT to the beach. This has already happened at several spots. I just wish Dalzell to Camden would be next. To me, that should be the next major priority.
But, maybe widening road could attract more industries or economic activity. I don't know this for sure but just saying. I know the tire plant and I believe another plant further down on the Clarendon county side, came after 521 was widened. And the talk back then, was that the widened would attract potential industry. They should widened 15/main street from just past North Side Memorial Baptist Church all the way to Lee county. I travel that road a lot, my church is in that direction also, and it can get busy and dangerous at times. You can get stuck behind slow traffic or farm equipment, and traffic can be backed up a long ways. I have seen people take risky move trying to get around, and traffic can be constant from the other direction making it unsafe to try to go around.
I also wonder as to why 95 didn't take a closer route to Sumter or why 20 took the route it did. To be honest, it seems like it would have been far more logical if 20 had gone through Sumter to Myrtle Beach than going up to Florence and ending, even if they had extended it to Myrtle Beach, Sumter and Florence are the same size and were the same size when they built I-20, the route following 378 is more of a straight shot and makes more sense, and Sumter had (and still does have) Shaw AFB, so I feel like it is far more important for Sumter to be along an interstate than Florence. The only reason anyone would suggest that now is because of the growth Florence has gotten now due to having I-20 but when it was built.
I would say that if they had done this, Sumter would have grown far more than Florence has and I think that would have probably caused Columbia- Sumter to grow into a cohesive metro similar to a smaller version of DFW or Greenville- Spartanburg
Politicians in the Sumter area did not have the foresight back then to make 20 and 95 happen closer to Sumter. Whereas the US Congressman back during that time who happened to be from Florence had the interstate to run through his property. If you look at the route of 95 it was suppose to be closer to the coast but as you get up to Florence it comes inland than heads back east once out of Florence County.
I believe all of SC largest cities and towns have interstate running through them or very near them. Sumter is one of the state 10 largest cities, I believe 8th or 9th largest, and the only one other than Hilton Head with no nearby interstate. They all have that advantage over Sumter that we just can't make up for.
I believe all of SC largest cities and towns have interstate running through them or very near them. Sumter is one of the state 10 largest cities, I believe 8th or 9th largest, and the only one other than Hilton Head with no nearby interstate. They all have that advantage over Sumter that we just can't make up for.
The only 'large town' that has grown fairly well without and interstate (other than Sumter) seems to be Greenwood.> For the life of me.. I dont know what keeps that city alive.. but its seems to be doing well.
Yeah I heard politicos in Sumter either didnt want an interstate because they didnt want it to affect some local rich good ole boys that were fearful of their business going to the edge of town ( not only did it go to the edge it kept going on to Florence) AND OR Sumter was out maneuvered by politicos in Camden and Florence.. Other than at the Federal level with projects like saving Shaw AFB and the windfall that the City got in the 90s for the Empowerment Zone.. Sumter doesnt seem to be a priority at the State level.
Columbians do look down on Sumter.. though they seem to have respect (and contempt) for Lexington which is a much smaller city (for now)... Eventually Columbia-Lexington may become the order of the day. Lexington could likely easily pass Sumter if annexation laws were relaxed considering its less than 10 sq. mi and has nearly 20k in population.. Sumter population could go up as well.. but there may be more development around Lexington than around Sumter proper......Even in this forum.. SUmter cant even get a subforum.. As old Rodney Dangefield would say..."No Respect at ALL". Even in the subheadings under Columbia.. Its Lexington and Irmo listed but no Sumter
My concern for Sumter is and always has been what happens if Shaw closes.. People keep telling me that it will never ever ever happen.. I pray that they are right. I remember when the Sumter Cabinet closed over in South Sumter. I dont know what the plans are for that site.. but that is a HUGE area with a now vacant and falling apart factory on it (last I was there)> There seems to be alot of vacant warehouses/factories around SUmter.. which shows the shift in manufactering out of the area (I guess to Mexico). Cooper Tires was a blessing.. hope we can land a few more. I saw that they extended Airport Road out to the actual Airport.. but there is still a vacant spec building there that is still empty (again last I checked)
Last edited by Woodlands; 08-12-2015 at 09:18 AM..
I also wonder as to why 95 didn't take a closer route to Sumter or why 20 took the route it did. To be honest, it seems like it would have been far more logical if 20 had gone through Sumter to Myrtle Beach than going up to Florence and ending, even if they had extended it to Myrtle Beach, Sumter and Florence are the same size and were the same size when they built I-20, the route following 378 is more of a straight shot and makes more sense, and Sumter had (and still does have) Shaw AFB, so I feel like it is far more important for Sumter to be along an interstate than Florence. The only reason anyone would suggest that now is because of the growth Florence has gotten now due to having I-20 but when it was built.
I would say that if they had done this, Sumter would have grown far more than Florence has and I think that would have probably caused Columbia- Sumter to grow into a cohesive metro similar to a smaller version of DFW or Greenville- Spartanburg
I used to commute from Columbia to Sumter on 378 (the traffic was always going in the opposite direction). I cant count the number if times that I either witnessed or was almost killed myself with some jerk off slowing up abruptly with no turn signal.. while in the left lane to get over on to one of those aprons in the middle of the highway to turn left.. They have made turning lanes so that those folks can get out of the fast lane before moving over on to the apron.. There were dozens of rear end wrecks where someone moved into the left lane to pass someone only to run into the rear of someone trying to get over on to one of those things. Not much is needed to make 378 between Sumter and Columbia a "freeway" of sorts. If they closed all of those random aprons in the median and made safe and well designed areas for one to do a U turn or cross over.. the road would be safer and traffic could flow easier.
I have joked that it takes longer to get from VA Hospital to downtown Columbia than it takes to get from downtown Sumter to Lower Richland Blvd.....well sort of.. Broad Street in Sumter has its own issues...
Politicians in the Sumter area did not have the foresight back then to make 20 and 95 happen closer to Sumter. Whereas the US Congressman back during that time who happened to be from Florence had the interstate to run through his property. If you look at the route of 95 it was suppose to be closer to the coast but as you get up to Florence it comes inland than heads back east once out of Florence County.
Yeah that doesn't surprise me and kudos to the folks who lobbied for Florence on that one because I think its no surprise that Florence probably wouldn't be much of anything without those interstates.
Its interesting to think of how much something like an interstate or political moves in economic development seem to change the landscape of what that city or area becomes and its really interesting thinking about how it would have turned out with a different move like this situation with I-20 and where it went.
Yeah that doesn't surprise me and kudos to the folks who lobbied for Florence on that one because I think its no surprise that Florence probably wouldn't be much of anything without those interstates.
Its interesting to think of how much something like an interstate or political moves in economic development seem to change the landscape of what that city or area becomes and its really interesting thinking about how it would have turned out with a different move like this situation with I-20 and where it went.
Yeah.. I -95 is six lanes going around Florence.. Back when I lived there.. I would have laughed if someone would have said that 95 would resemble and expressway some day around Florence. Still think the State/Feds screwed up by not taking it all the way to Myrtle Beach.. Now they are tring to make up for it with a series of 'ring roads' north and south of florence... but that wouldnt make up for 20 skirting the City and heading on east out past FMU.
I know we talked about his before. Had I-20 gone east of Florence would be a totally different place as would FMU.. There are acres and acres of land that I doubt will ever be developed east of Florence around FMU. There is still quite a bit of beach traffic that comes in past there.. though some may be diverted at Dillon and points NE down through Marion now especially if I-73 is built.. though I think it may be on hold indefinately.
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