By Stan Welch
District Seven County Councilwoman Cindy Wilson came away from last week’s meeting concerning issues of transportation in the Cheddar area convinced that the various parties are committed to seeking solutions.
“We had almost forty people present, and while views were expressed and points made by both sides, the discourse was civil and respectful. The meeting was very positive and productive,” said Wilson.
A variety of commercial haulers have been using the area’s roads for a number of years, including tankers accessing the tank farm, and more recently, waste haulers going to and from the Anderson Regional Landfill. The presence of the trucks hauling coal ash from the Lee Steam Plant is shrinking as that project winds down.
Area residents have been complaining for several years about traffic, the impact on the roads, and the dangers posed by so many big trucks on inadequate roads. Wilson herself has repeatedly referred to the deplorable conditions that the area residents have had to endure.
SCDOT officials were on hand, as well as the president of the state truckers’ association. One major result was the closing of Murphy Road to truck traffic. The road has been the site of two tanker rollovers in the last few months.
DOT officials made what Wilson described as very constructive suggestions about Big Creek Road, and Highways 20 and 247, all of which are state roads. “We will need a team effort but I am very optimistic following this meeting. Councilman Ray Graham (District 3) has been a fantastic partner and contributor in this situation.”
Wilson said the only disappointment she felt was that Kinder Morgan and Kendall Oil did not send representatives to the meeting.
