The Sumter Airport has been identified through strategic planning as a major economic development asset to the Sumter community. The Sumter Airport complements the availability of aviation-trained workers who came to Sumter through Shaw Air Force Base. But the Airport is not ready for
There is a large void in community center offerings in certain portions of the county. Other existing community centers are in need of repair and renovations to make them better suited for guests and services.
The Penny for Progress will:
Construct new Community Centers in Pinewood, Salterstown, and the Concord / R.E. Davis Area.
Renovate the following existing Community Centers: Cherryvale Center, Ebenezer Center, Spectrum Community Center, Rembert/Rafting Creek Community Center, Mayesville Center, and Shiloh Center.
The intersection of US 15 South and Manning Avenue has been identified as confusing and unsafe for both motorists and pedestrians. Several roads intersect at this location, and access ramps blend with businesses in the roadway. Improvements will include new crosswalks, reduction
Economic development and quality of life are the two principal motivations for acquiring targeted historic properties for either renovation or for the creation of green spaces for recreational purposes.
In regards to the acquisition of historic properties for renovation, the lessons learned from other communities have shown that public-private partnerships are powerful tools in creating economic development and growth. In many cases, the renovation and adaptive re-use
Sumter Central Business District Intersection and Infrastructure Improvements
A viable downtown is important to the economic and social health, heritage and civic pride of our community. The downtown imparts community history and traditions to not only the Sumter residents but also to visitors. The buildings and public spaces are a living part of our heritage, reminders of our past that should be preserved.
Sumter planners, with the help of SCDOT, have identified the most dangerous intersections in our community based on the total number of crashes over a three year period. Listed below, these intersections have experienced hundreds of accidents. This project is designed to improve traffic safety at these intersections.
The State Supreme Court has directed Sumter County to address safety concerns at the Court House where we handle a per capita docket on par with Greenville and Columbia. The new Judicial Center will address the concerns and make more space available in the current Court House.
The intersection at US 15N (Lafayette Dr) and the US76/378 Bypass (near McLaughlin Ford) is one of Sumter's most congested and frustrating intersections. Here, North Main Street, Lafayette Boulevard, the 378 Bypass, and both North and South Pike come together making navigation through the intersection both tedious and dangerous. This proposal centers around fully re-engineering this area with and interchange configuration for easy access and reduced traffic congestion.
The City of Sumter has not added a new water plant to serve area businesses and residents in more than 16 years, despite substantial growth during that period. Currently, major growth in areas south of town is inhibited due to the lack of plentiful water.
More than 3,500 youth athletes in Sumter County participate in soccer, baseball, softball and football each year, learning about teamwork and healthy lifestyles. The completion of Patriot Park will give them the facilities they've earned and will provide walking paths and green space for all of Sumter County's residents.
Pocotaligo Industrial Park remains agricultural land because it is not yet ready for industrial development prospects. While the old economic development model of deal first, infrastructure later used to work, development prospects today demand ready-to-go parks and shovel-ready sites. As is, Pocotaligo Industrial Park stands only a small chance of attracting a significant industrial development tenant, because it lacks to necessary water and sewer infrastructure.
One of the most important assets in the Sumter community is Shaw Air Force Base. Shaw is an enormous economic and cultural resource for the entire community. Although the most recent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) review resulted in a favorable outcome for Shaw, the base remains vulnerable to encroachment threats and will be subject to further BRAC reviews. Accordingly, the City of Sumter and Sumter County, in cooperation with federal and state officials, have been working diligently to prevent further base encroachment.
With the recent completion of the certification of Black River Airport Industrial Park, the only remaining major improvements are the completion of the road all the way to the airport, and the completion of the water/sewer system. Such improvements will ease current and future truck traffic by diverting it to Brewington Road. This project will also increase the park's marketability and increase Sumter County's chances of creating new jobs in the future.
Fire protection is a keystone of home security and with improvements to sixteen rural fire stations throughout Sumter County, the safety and security of rural residents will improve. Cherryvale, Dabbs, Wedgefield, Dalzell, Bethel, Pinewood, Rembert, Concord, Horatio, Oswego, Graham, Pleasant Grove, Mayesville, DuBose, Byrd, and 521 South will all benefit.
Many of Sumter County's schoolchildren walk to school each day along overgrown roadway shoulders that represent a hazard. Even worse, the lack of safe sidewalks encourages some to walk in the street. This project will build sidewalks (including drainage and reconstruction of substandard sidewalks) to connect existing neighborhoods creating safer and more secure routes to schools and parks. It will also link neighborhoods and schools that have never been connected.
The Sumter County Civic Center currently has a variety of problems. At the top of the list is a HVAC system that must be replaced and improvements to the sound system. The unattractive building is also in need of a new
