FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – For years, the Florence County Council has been working on six different road projects to help with traffic flow around the county, and recently, many of you have asked News 13 for updates on those projects.
Florence County Councilman Waymon Mumford says thanks to a shift in funds, council should be able to speed up the process on finishing those projects.
For many in Florence, the commute to work can get frustrating.
“In the mornings, and in the afternoons, it’s almost impossible to get through the city of Florence,” said Mumford.
That’s why the Florence County Council decided to take action.
It’s something else to get around this city, this county because of the traffic flow. So, you had to do something,” said Mumford.
That something started with a penny sales tax in 2006 that promised to help with road widening projects on six different roads in the county.
Although the project has been in the making for years now, Pine Needles Road in Florence is the only one of the six projects that’s been completed.
That’s why Florence County Council members say they’re working to speed up the process.
Councilman Mumford says before, the state was in charge of the penny sales tax money and put a hold on many of the projects.
“We floated some bonds to bring on board 125 million dollars which means we can get started with the 450 projects that we have on the table. As we speak, some of those projects have been completed, some of them are in the process, and some of them are on the table, but we are able to pay for these projects much faster than that fist penny,” said Mumford.
Work is under way on South 76 in Timmonsville, and that will be completed between 2016 and 2017.
The same goes for TV Road off I-95 and U.S. Route 378.
Construction has begun for Highway 51 but will not start on the 301 bypass until 2019, with work to wrap up by 2021.
Mumford says the good news about these projects is that many of them are coming along well under budget.
Count on News 13 to keep you updated with the latest on these projects as construction continues.
