AUGUST 19 - A planned truck stop is expected to make a deadly stretch of South Carolina highway even more dangerous, while the roadway continues to be passed over for improvement, according to a report in The Carolina Morning News. The 6-mile stretch of U.S. 17A leading to the Georgia state line has been the site of a series of fatal accidents over the last two years, with four more people killed earlier this month.
Traffic along the highway is only expected to get worse, as planned developments, including a $5 million truck stop and a nearby conference center, increase traffic.
Although plans to widen the road have been a part of Jasper County’s long-range plans for years, the improvement keeps getting passed over in favor of projects in other parts of the state. An official with the state transportation department predicts it could be seven years before any work is done on the narrow, two-lane highway.