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This is not the original design, the original design was on a larger scale. Also, the overpass was not a part of the original, and it had like four loop interchanges, and was a diamond shaped. My cousin actually had a copy of the original map, because he have property in the area and went to the first meeting. I been trying to find it on line, but with little success.
Yep i saw the original plans in the S.U.A.T.S Sumter 2030 plans from a few years back.
Back in the 90s I saw an old SCDOT Map that I believe was from the late 50s early 60s that showed the current 378 bypass as part of a Sumter Beltway.It would have roughly followed Loring Mill Road, Pinewood road, Stadium Road, Mooneyham Road, Mims Rd back to 378. Only the 378 stretch got built because it was going to be the first leg of I-20 from Columbia to Florence (so I was told) but either Sumter did not want (which I find hard to believe) or Polticos in Kershaw County had more clout.. to pull it north. At any rate.. it never got built but the City over the years the City/SCDOT implemented comparable improvement to compensate for the loss of the beltway... mainly widening Guignard Drive and Pinewood Roads building Guignard parkway and a building and improving a variety of other connector streets like Red Bay Rd. Lewis Road and Mooneyham Road itself. I wonder if the city would look different had it been encircled with a beltway in terms of its growth pattern? Sumter was an mini SC industrial center and growing which was one reason for the proposed beltway.. to get truck traffic around the core and to build up the industrial parks that were being developed/proposed in South Sumter. It is likely no accident that the City's waste water plant in on the south side of town which would help support industrial development not to mention that even today Continental among other large industries are down there. The city clearly was PLANNING for things to go down in that area and the beltway was just the beginning... But time, global economics and good ole fashion competition and politics caught up and past us.....
At any rate......378 was a major route from the west down to the coast. Certainly I-20 would have made a difference... but a beltway may have balanced the city out with more growth and subsequent infrastructure to support it to the east, southeast and south??? If I am not mistaken I 20 pre dated I-95 though both had been planned and unfortunately Sumter missed out on both for one reason or another....Perhaps the pathway of each made it more convenient to by pass Sumter by pushing the Interstates further north and east respectively thus ultimately benefiting Florence simply by geography and a little politics.. 95 was truly for the coastal region and to benefit the eastern seaboard so pathways in NC and GA likely influenced it more so that anything SC put forward and being more east likely made more since that coming thru Sumter for I-95.. Sumter just got the shaft on I 20 plain and simple ....
Back to the Future the last remnant of the proposed beltway died a quiet death with the defeat of the Red Bay Rd ext in the late 90s early 2000s.. It was going to extend beyond BLVD Rd, cross Mims to 378.. Again for truck traffic. Red Bay is already a four lane road for that very reason.. Residents of South Sumter opposed the plan and it was killed.
I heard about the I 20 connections a long long time ago, but when you think about it, it shouldn't surprise you that Sumter would fight against that. I honestly don't believe they would let that happen even today, this town seem to be fighting so hard to hold on to that small town image.
I heard about the I 20 connections a long long time ago, but when you think about it, it shouldn't surprise you that Sumter would fight against that. I honestly don't believe they would let that happen even today, this town seem to be fighting so hard to hold on to that small town image.
Sumter reminds me a lot of Goldsboro NC which has some cool things going on.. Sumter does too for that matter.. but.. It has an AFB its not on a direct interstate though the have a spur.. Similar population/demographics for the City and County over in the "other" end of North Carolina. Their "bypass" seemed more strategically and well developed but was constructed in a similar time and manner as Sumters.. but has their transportation road network has expanded considerably when compared to ours.. I guess because it is closer to the attractions of the NC Coast. They also has a Convention Center.. Ahem.. something I think we need.. conversely .. they dont have a downtown hotel.. but both downtowns seem very similiar..oh and they kept their historic downtown highrises.. something that didnt happen in Sumter
Sumter reminds me a lot of Goldsboro NC which has some cool things going on.. Sumter does too for that matter.. but.. It has an AFB its not on a direct interstate though the have a spur.. Similar population/demographics for the City and County over in the "other" end of North Carolina. Their "bypass" seemed more strategically and well developed but was constructed in a similar time and manner as Sumters.. but has their transportation road network has expanded considerably when compared to ours.. I guess because it is closer to the attractions of the NC Coast. They also has a Convention Center.. Ahem.. something I think we need.. conversely .. they dont have a downtown hotel.. but both downtowns seem very similiar..oh and they kept their historic downtown highrises.. something that didnt happen in Sumter
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According to the 2018 US Census projections (actual will be coming next year):
Sumter has a declining MSA population of 106,512 down 0.88% from 2010 of 107,456.
Goldsboro, NC has a slightly higher MSA of 123,248 in 2018 up .51% from 2010 population of 122,623.
...and that could be the big difference right there. We always say on here, 'Boy we should see a new Publix here in Sumter any day now, how is it we don't have our Home Depot yet, could we see an Olive Garden soon???' and on and on and on. We are on the cusp of getting new amenities but it is not just the difference in raw numbers but the trend and momentum of those numbers.
I don't understand how Sumter can be declining over the course of 10 years or so. I would not ever suspect Sumter county to be booming, but not shrinking either, especially when you consider 3rd Army, the overall stability and health of Shaw AFB, Continental, a rebounding economy over the last few years nationwide and the many smaller enterprises discussed on this board.
According to the 2018 US Census projections (actual will be coming next year):
Sumter has a declining MSA population of 106,512 down 0.88% from 2010 of 107,456.
Goldsboro, NC has a slightly higher MSA of 123,248 in 2018 up .51% from 2010 population of 122,623.
...and that could be the big difference right there. We always say on here, 'Boy we should see a new Publix here in Sumter any day now, how is it we don't have our Home Depot yet, could we see an Olive Garden soon???' and on and on and on. We are on the cusp of getting new amenities but it is not just the difference in raw numbers but the trend and momentum of those numbers.
I don't understand how Sumter can be declining over the course of 10 years or so. I would not ever suspect Sumter county to be booming, but not shrinking either, especially when you consider 3rd Army, the overall stability and health of Shaw AFB, Continental, a rebounding economy over the last few years nationwide and the many smaller enterprises discussed on this board.
I wonder if it has anything to do with Lower Richland and Kershaw County? Some people may opt to jump over the County line and live in these areas yet still work in Sumter? Even some folks in the USAF may opt for the commute in order to live near amenities offered in Columbia. Lugoff-Elgin area is close enough to NE Richland County and Lower Richland has access to Columbia proper.. So the population loss could be because of outmigration to these areas? Sumter as always struck me as somewhat stagnant.. but as growth in other areas nearby make living in those areas more palatable folks may opt to move across the line while still being close to family that may remain in Sumter.
The City of SUmter and the City of Columbia are only 10 miles apart.. that is from the edge of Ft Jackson to the edge of Shaw AFB.. as the crow flies...
I wonder if it has anything to do with Lower Richland and Kershaw County? Some people may opt to jump over the County line and live in these areas yet still work in Sumter? Even some folks in the USAF may opt for the commute in order to live near amenities offered in Columbia. Lugoff-Elgin area is close enough to NE Richland County and Lower Richland has access to Columbia proper.. So the population loss could be because of outmigration to these areas? Sumter as always struck me as somewhat stagnant.. but as growth in other areas nearby make living in those areas more palatable folks may opt to move across the line while still being close to family that may remain in Sumter.
The City of SUmter and the City of Columbia are only 10 miles apart.. that is from the edge of Ft Jackson to the edge of Shaw AFB.. as the crow flies...
But CBDs and city halls are more along 40ish I think. Which is the problem. Plus, neither of those bases can be developed. I wonder what both would look like had they been built on the same side of the Wateree. Would Sumter be Columbia’s version of Summerville?
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