Here are the roads Rock Hill wants Pennies for Progress to fix, and what comes next
It’s time for Rock Hill to make its case for road improvements.
A public meeting in Rock Hill on Sept. 20 will focus on city road needs. The public can suggest roads and intersections for consideration in the next round of a Pennies for Progress tax money aimed at improving traffic and safety across York County. The city will make its own recommendation after approving a list last week.
Mayor John Gettys cautioned that the approved, prioritized recommendation list is only that — a recommendation. A six-member Pennies for Progress citizens committee will sort through requests from municipalities across the county. The committee began collecting suggestions in March at similar, on-site meetings.
The committee has been to Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Lake Wylie, Clover, York and western York County, among other stops.
There’s no guarantee, Gettys said.
“They’re an independent body,” Gettys said. “They’ll make their decisions based upon what they think is appropriate, on the expertise they’ve developed over the last year.”
Municipalities have made road and intersection requests, at times knowing their lists are too long to receive full funding. Likewise, Rock Hill will offer a prioritized request. The Rock Hill meeting also may be of interest to other municipalities since it’s the last one scheduled by the citizens committee.
The committee will then work with York County staff to estimate how much money the 1% Pennies for Progress sales tax likely would generate over seven years, and match that estimate with as many road jobs as it could fund. The commission will approve a final list, which York County Council can send to a referendum ballot, but can’t change. The vote would come Nov. 5, 2024 and, if approved, collections would begin the day after the fourth and current Pennies tax expires in 2025.
Ranked project list
The top Rock Hill road request is a five-lane widening of Porter Road from Firetower to Long Meadow roads. Next are reconstrunction, drainage, utilities and sidewalk improvements along White Street from Charlotte to Jones avenues, followed by intersection and resurfacing work in the Neely Road corridor.
Three intersection projects are next.
There’s Cherry and Mt. Gallant roads, Ebinport Road and Marett Boulevard (roundabout) and the Celanese and Mt. Gallant roads intersection. A Bates Street extension follows, with widening of Old Rawlinson Road with a roundabout. Then a shared use path on Dave Lyle Boulevard from Annafrel Street to Charlotte Avenue, with a Hope Street redesign.
The final listed items are intersection work at Black Street and Albright Road, sidewalk improvement on Friedheim Road from Ogden Road to Heckle Boulevard and sidewalk replacement along Oakland Avenue.
The city will offer a separate priority list specifically for road resurfacing. Pennies, which began with a referendum in 1997, initially focused on new road designs and intersections but more recently added money for resurfacing to improve the condition of aging roads. The resurfacing request list includes five roads owned by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, five owned by the city and on jointly owned by both.
The prioritized list starts with Eden Terrace from University Drive to Anderson Road and continues with Ebenezer Road from Oakland Avenue to Herlong Avenue, Crawford Road/Pond Street from Heckle to Hampton Street, Oakdale Road from Mt. Holly to Saluda Road, Charlotte Avenue from Cherry Road to East White Street, Black Street from Orange Street to Main Street/Albright Road, John Ross Parkway from Dave Lyle Boulevard to Mt. Gallant Road, Galleria Boulevard from Manna Court to Anderson Road, a portion of Bryant Boulevard, Constitution Boulevard from Cherry to Main and a stretch of Lakeshore Parkway/Tech Park Boulevard.
Want to go?
Anyone who can’t attend the upcoming public meeting can still submit requests online at penniesforprogress.net. For others, the meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20 at the city operations center at 757 S. Anderson Road. The format will follow the same pattern as similar meetings across the county. Pennies staff will provide and update on the program followed by formal request from city staff. The public can offer thoughts on the roads listed by the city, or others of concern.
“Citizens are welcome to attend and provide input,” said city transportation planner Chris Herrmann.
This story was originally published September 15, 2023 at 8:27 AM.
