Easley-Powdersville | SC-153

[GSP Tiger]

"New road would speed drive to lakes" The Greenville (SC) News (26-Sep-2005)

South Carolina's Department of Transportation will unveil prelimerary plans for SC 153's extension. The meeting will be held today from 4 to 6pm at West End Hall.

The proposed extenstion would run from its current US 123 terminus to SC 183. A divided four-lane highway with a 55 mph speed limit, it will serve as another route to Lakes Jocasee and Keowee and Clemson football game traffic. At the earliest, right-of-way acquistions may begin in 2008 and construction in 2010.

[goodbye]

Thanks, BoDragon! This will certainly be exciting for Powdersville/Easley.

Read the Article Here

[GSP Tiger]

Link: SCDOT's proposed 153's extension route

Some thoughts:

US 123: A new 6-lane bridge will replace the existing 2-lane bridge over US 123. Four lanes, 2 in each direction, carries throughfare traffic. The two outside lanes cloverleaf to US 123 east or west. Right-of-way wis necessary for a ramp from SC 153 south to US 123 south towards Easley.

Norfolk-Southern: overpass over railroad

Latham Road, Prince Perry Road, Saluda Dam Road, Grant Valley Road, Lenhardt Road, Jameson Roads: at-grade junctions

Jameson Road: widened to four-lane divided highway to SC 183

SC 183 terminus: traffic signalization

***

While the plans are prelimenary, does anyone think SC 153 could be extended as a northern loop to SC 8 westward of Easley? It would serve large trucks getting to Pickens. SC 135 can easily be widened to four lanes from Palmetto Baptist Easley out to SC 183.

[Spartan]

Exciting, but frustrating to those of us who have to drive through there on a regular basis...

[GSP Tiger]

Agreed; it is not the only road project on the slate.

The article had a brief mention of the Powdersville-Liberty connector. Its eastern terminus would be at SC 153 and its other terminus at US 123 at the Pickens County Industrial Park. It is being considered for a less-commercialized parkway. I assume it will be a four-lane highway divided and not in some place. I could see it tranversing alongside Three Bridges Road towards Highway 8, going northwest to SC 135, and hooking up with the Pickens County Industrial Park road.

[Spartan]

Thanks, BoDragon! This will certainly be exciting for Powdersville/Easley.

Read the Article Here

Always post links. I've noticed that some of you have been slacking on this. We will not continue to look them up.

[GSP Tiger]

While speaking of 153's extension, there's another route that deserves some focus.

SC 183 serves as the primary direct link from Pickens to Greenville. It takes outdoor enthusiats to lakes Keowee and Jocasee, serves as another route for Clemson football traffic, and serves as a commuter and truck route from Pickens to Greenville's downtown and Interstate 385. Within the past two decades, residences and businesses have sprawled in several places. As it grows, so does traffic and congestion. SC 153 will be extended to this route. Minor improvements were made in recent years: repaving the road, improving intersections at SC 135 and Thomas Mill Road, and installing guardrails in necessary places.

As Easley continues to grow northward, SC 183 badly warrants the need for being widened to four lanes. I am sure the idea has circulated for some time.

[goodbye]

I believe that 153 should and probably will be extended to either hwy 135, or hwy 8 in the future. I personally have mixed feelings about this though. I love the Dacusville area (very nearly bought some land there a few years ago) a would prefer that it remain the beautiful and down home country place it is/was, but I have been saying that it will become one of the next hot real estate markets before too long. In fact, it has been gaining in popularity recently, as land prices are on the rise all the way up to the Pumpkintown/Table Rock area. I can see a grocery store (probably Bi-Lo or Ingles) and other retail/fast-food going up near the 135/186 crossroads in Dacusville. I simply can't belive the change we are seeing all over the entire Upstate these years. Good, bad, or indifferent, it certainly isn't boring!

[GSP Tiger]

I hope nothing else goes up at the 135/186 junction. I think it is fine as it is.

The 135/183 junction would make an excellent location for businesses in the future. I think Spinx now has a location on the southeastern corner. That immediate area could use a supermarket (pharmacy included) in a few years. Unfortunately, that intersection needs a serious upgrade from a four-way stop to traffic signalization.

[Ness]

This route is a necessary addition. Trust me, nobody likes to buy land from long-time residents, but in the bigger picture, Pickens County and Greenville County residents will need this.

While this partly rural area may not (to some) seem to have an immediate need for the extension, this kind of planning is what residents often clamor for: it's before land prices have become too high, and the proper route is feasible. This extension has indeed been in the works for years, and the importance of this addition to our road network will only increase.

[GSP Tiger]

Link: Direction of road project raises concerns The Greenville (SC) News (28-Sep-2005)

The meeting was held Tuesday night. The usual concerns about the route's direction, property value, land, etc. were brought up. Four proposed routes are being considered; I am unaware if they are online yet.

[goodbye]

Thank you, BoDragon. This is going to be an interesting few years prior to and during construction.

That widening of Jameson Road is very interesting. I have close friends right on and directly off that portion of the road. Wonder what they'll think? I'll have to see if they will tell us.

[Ness]

I understand this project to be an economic development endeavor -- the Pickens County Industrial Park has been somewhat successful, and now leaders are looking elsewhere. This is certainly more than an easy route to lakes or football games.

[Spartan]

I dont see how it would be faster to get to games, but I do see how it would be faster to get to the lakes. It couldn't hurt the town of Pickens either.

[Ness]

As one might expect, this project is causing serious political backlash. I wouldn't be surprised if the 153/123 southern connector is built instead.

[GSP Tiger]

State 153 plan hits roadblock (The Greenville, SC News - 11/01/2005)

Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens County) announced his current opposition to 153's extension from US 123 to SC 183. He claims it would not stimilate ecomonic development in Pickens County, it would displace residents, create more congestion, and SC 183's problems should be resolved first. Sen. Rex Rice (R-Greenville & Pickens Counties) agrees SC 183 should be widened, but SC 153 still must be extended.

This is a case of your usual political opposition and proposition.

SC 153's extension is still necessary. It would provide an alternative for trucks to detour around Easley's downtown to reach businesses to Pickens. It would provide a safer route to travel besides using winding unsafe contry roads and overpassing a frequently used Norfolk Southern line.

I would not question the need to widen SC 183. This road should have been widened years ago.

[Spartan]

But really, how much is going on in lil' old Pickens that needs a 4 lane highway for access?

[goodbye]

It is actually growing just like the rest of the Upstate, though it still has a rural town feel. Many routes to the lake developments go through Pickens, which is also the county seat.

[Greenville]

Pickens makes Easley people feel cultured.

[GSP Tiger]

Pickens is not the little quiet town it was years ago. It continues to grow, but it maintains its feel of having its locally owned shops. As many people use 183 through Pickens en route to Walhalla instead of US 123, traffic continues to increase; therefore, it is necessary to have a well suited road network to keep things moving safe and efficiently.

[Spartan]

Why would they do that? 123 is the obvious choice for that trip unless you are acutally going to Pickens for some reason.

[goodbye]

To get to the Lake Keowee and Jocasee developments from Greenville, it is best to go out on 183, or 123 to 8, through downtown Pickens.

[GSP Tiger]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. SC-153's northern extension is being placed on hold indefinitely.

State 153 extension plan dead, for now, lawmakers say

The Greenville News (SC)

2006.01.18

This is a bummer to resolving traffic problems on old country roads between SC-183 and US-123 and preparing for a growing boom north of Easley. I think State Senator Larry Martin has decided to rest on his laurels instead of doing anything to accelerate construction on the extension or even widening SC-183. I know many people who live in this area who would like to see some major road improvement come.

[goodbye]

The question is where will the money go and be as profitable an investment? Those country roads are traveled more heavily every year.

[Spartan]

I don't see that particular highway as a necessary extension. The existing routes are not so congested that adding some lanes wouldn't fix it.