new prospect

Another way to improve Daniel Morgan Ave. in my opinion would be to trim or remove the trees that have grown up where it curves around behind the county courthouse. This would open up the view of the remaining portion of the Southern Railway passenger terminal, that now houses the Hub City railroad museum. Plans are underway to locate a donated caboose there as well. I realize that removing greenery is not usually desirable, and doing so may increase the perceived noise from the trains that still run below this curve, but I think in this case it would really open up the view of one of the city's historic buildings.

The Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse is now open on East Blackstock (former Hops location). Definitely worth checking out. http://www.cowboybraziliansteakhouse.com/

OK, found this in the SPATS long-range transportation plan, which is available here: http://spatsmpo.org/bin/dl/LRTP.pdf From page 89: Another problem area that needs addressing, which does not show up in the ranking process, is the intersection of North Blackstock Road, Fairforest Road and Hayne Street. A set of railroad tracks are involved in this intersection as well. Traffic signals are located on both sides of the railroad tracks without adequate storage for traffic queues between the signals. Drivers will often make right turns on red and become trapped on the railroad tracks. Railroad preemption of the traffic signal, automatic traffic arms and flashing crossbuck lights and “no right turn on red” signs are in place. The reconstruction and relocation of the intersections near the railroad tracks are needed. And page 91: Recommended intersection relocations and improvements....Reconstruction of the North Blackstock Road, Fairforest Road and Hayne Street intersection. Consider all options for closing roadways, relocating roadways, providing alternate routes or bridging the railroad tracks. So yes, it looks like the project is not ranked, is many years away, and all options are still on the table.

Progress on the Amazon site: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20120307/ARTICLES/120309739/1086?Title=Construction-crews-hard-at-work-on-Amazon-facility

Great story. I wasn't sure where Collins Ave. is, so I looked it up on mapquest. For those who don't know, it's a block north of Duncan Park.

Yep, drove by this last Sunday and site preparation is well underway. Looks like they have their own concrete production equipment on site. This facility is going to be big.

Saw this on the SCDOT site under construction updates. Apparently a 'Blackstock Road Bridge Project' to enhance parts of North Blackstock (SR-41) and Fairforest (SR-525) Roads was approved in 2007, though as far as I can tell nothing else has been done. Don't know if this is merely an enhancement or new construction. Maybe they want to replace the old overpasses over Business 85 and I-26? http://dbw.scdot.org/activeprojects/ProjDescription.aspx?PC=48771&C=Spartanburg&TY=24 I'm still hoping for SC 129 to be extended from I-85 to Fairforest Rd. and for West Blackstock to be extended to Fairforest Rd. or Business 85, as others have suggested (earlier in this thread and in the Arcadia Redevelopment thread).

Great idea! And given the number of large trucks that use Pine Street to get from the Camp Croft area and Union County (Dollar General, Disney, etc.) to I-85, maybe SCDOT will take notice.

For all these reasons, the best thing that could happen to this area is for the City to somehow acquire some of these properties, tear down the motel between E. Main and St. John, realign that segment of Pine Street to take out the bend (run it through where the motel is now), and use the space freed up where Pine is now for improved parking and access for the strip mall, Fed Ex, Chamber of Commerce, or some new development. Wishful thinking, I know!

Interesting. According to Google maps, that's just east of Olive Garden and Golden Corral. It must be the former Palmetto Bank building across from Barnes & Noble. With the new Longhorn's near Office Depot, the westside continues to attract chain restaurants.

Yeah, they're also building one at Hearon Circle where Darie Dream, the old Waffle House, and Wendy's were and near the intersection of I-85 and US 221 where a Texaco truck stop once was. Apparently these will be very large gas station/convenience stores.

The reason I ask is, there was a story in the Herald-Journal recently about the Dairy Dream at Hearon Circle moving to Boiling Springs so that a large gas station / convenience store can be built. The story said Dairy Dream had been at Hearon Circle since the 50's, and apparently there's been an historical marker since 1954. http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=17454 I'm sure the overpass was added later but it's interesting to me that there was a rotary there that far back. I haven't heard anything new about the Long-Range plan, but work on widening SC 9 near SC 292 (near where I live) is coming along. i heard it's supposed to be finished summer 2012.

I have an historical question about I-85 Business I hope someone on the forum can answer. I remember reading somewhere that one of the reasons for the awkward entrance and exit ramps and frontage roads along old I-85 (now I-85 Business) is that when I-85 was first built (1960's? 1970's?) the portion near Spartanburg used a previously existing US Highway. Was it US 29 or another US Highway? That is, was US 29's route changed at some point or has it always gone through downtown?