By David Meade
During their meeting Tuesday, West Pelzer Town Council approved a resolution in support of a project to improve pedestrian safety along Main Street and announced details for the project.
The resolution approves and appropriates capital improvement project funding to improve pedestrian safety along Main Street (Hwy. 8).
The project will include replacement of overhead lighting fixtures along Main Street with LED lighting, a speed limit reduction to 25 mph from Burkett Street in West Pelzer to the Greenville County line, installation of high visibility ladder crosswalks at Main Street, Spring Street and Gray Mortuary and Installation of push button activated flashers at Main Street and Spring Street.
Mayor Blake Sanders said the improvements have been under consideration since a traffic count done in 2008 or 2009 showed 7000 vehicles per day coming through town on Hwy. 8. A more recent count showed an increase to 11,000 per day, he said.
Sanders said that more happenings in town and more people walking and crossing Main St., along with a tractor trailer crash and an accident in which multiple vehicles burned, added in getting the attention of SCDOT officials.
“There is not an option of removing tractor trailers from Main St.” Sanders said.
SCDOT will provide paint for the high visibility crosswalks at Main St. and Spring Street, if the town will pay for the installation of push button flashers.
Sanders said the town has capital funds of approximately $10,000 which can be used on the project. Senator Mike Gambrell and House District 9 representative Anne Thayer have also indicated they will try to help find funding for the project, according to the mayor.
Approval of the project by SCDOT also depends on The Town of Pelzer agreeing to the 25 mph speed limit on Hwy. 8 through Pelzer, Sanders said. Once approved through SCDOT, and with the resolution passed by West Pelzer Tuesday, the change in speed limit will take effect in 90 days.
Sanders said there will be an education campaign to notify motorists of the change in speed limit.
“We are not out to get you,” he said. “We are out to slow traffic down.”
Sanders announced that the State of the Town breakfast will be held in conjunction with the Palmetto Business Association meeting on March 19 at 8 a.m. Anyone is welcome to attend. RSVP to president@palmettobusiness.org.
Mayor Sanders will speak on what is coming up for West Pelzer, state and county representatives are also expected to speak at the event.
The Town of West Pelzer will hold a Centennial Celebration on Saturday, March 23. There will be food trucks, music and inflatables. Mayor Sanders said there may also be a birthday cake celebrating the event.
The first GRAND Gallery Art Display will be held in the Municipal Center beginning April 2 featuring artist Glen Miller. (See separate story)
The West Pelzer Planning commission will meet Tuesday, Mar. 12 at 6 p.m.
The resolution approves and appropriates capital improvement project funding to improve pedestrian safety along Main Street (Hwy. 8).
The project will include replacement of overhead lighting fixtures along Main Street with LED lighting, a speed limit reduction to 25 mph from Burkett Street in West Pelzer to the Greenville County line, installation of high visibility ladder crosswalks at Main Street, Spring Street and Gray Mortuary and Installation of push button activated flashers at Main Street and Spring Street.
Mayor Blake Sanders said the improvements have been under consideration since a traffic count done in 2008 or 2009 showed 7000 vehicles per day coming through town on Hwy. 8. A more recent count showed an increase to 11,000 per day, he said.
Sanders said that more happenings in town and more people walking and crossing Main St., along with a tractor trailer crash and an accident in which multiple vehicles burned, added in getting the attention of SCDOT officials.
“There is not an option of removing tractor trailers from Main St.” Sanders said.
SCDOT will provide paint for the high visibility crosswalks at Main St. and Spring Street, if the town will pay for the installation of push button flashers.
Sanders said the town has capital funds of approximately $10,000 which can be used on the project. Senator Mike Gambrell and House District 9 representative Anne Thayer have also indicated they will try to help find funding for the project, according to the mayor.
Approval of the project by SCDOT also depends on The Town of Pelzer agreeing to the 25 mph speed limit on Hwy. 8 through Pelzer, Sanders said. Once approved through SCDOT, and with the resolution passed by West Pelzer Tuesday, the change in speed limit will take effect in 90 days.
Sanders said there will be an education campaign to notify motorists of the change in speed limit.
“We are not out to get you,” he said. “We are out to slow traffic down.”
Sanders announced that the State of the Town breakfast will be held in conjunction with the Palmetto Business Association meeting on March 19 at 8 a.m. Anyone is welcome to attend. RSVP to president@palmettobusiness.org.
Mayor Sanders will speak on what is coming up for West Pelzer, state and county representatives are also expected to speak at the event.
The Town of West Pelzer will hold a Centennial Celebration on Saturday, March 23. There will be food trucks, music and inflatables. Mayor Sanders said there may also be a birthday cake celebrating the event.
The first GRAND Gallery Art Display will be held in the Municipal Center beginning April 2 featuring artist Glen Miller. (See separate story)
The West Pelzer Planning commission will meet Tuesday, Mar. 12 at 6 p.m.
