NEWBERRY, S.C. — Newberry County wants people who drive its roads every day to say where they have nearly been hit, not just where wrecks have already happened, as it builds a plan to cut serious crashes in and around Newberry, S.C.
A $300,000 federal transportation grant under the Safe Streets and Roads for All program covers the planning. Over the five years ending in 2024, the county counted 54 crashes that killed someone, and pedestrians made up seven of the dead.
Most of the danger is away from the interstates. About 69 percent of crashes in that span happened on rural roads, the county said.
Planners have narrowed the list to about five stretches of rural road and five intersections for a closer look. Two of them are Wilson Road at College Street and U.S. 176 at Parr Road.
County staff said close calls matter because a spot with poor sight lines can be risky long before a crash shows up in the data. Fixes on the table include roundabouts, rumble strips, safer crossings and more lighting, and the findings will help the county chase federal money for projects.
This is the second round of public input. A drop-in session was held Thursday at the courthouse annex on College Street, and two more are set for the 4-6 p.m. window. Whitmire hosts one Monday at 16 Main St., in the Town Hall Annex, and Little Mountain hosts the last on Thursday at 16 Depot St., home of the Derrick Center.
Residents who cannot attend can pin problem spots on the county’s online safety map.
Section: More Chapin SC crime news
Filed under: Chapin SC Traffic News
