It’s a road where the speed limits’ 35 mph, where most don’t quite do that.
“I’m a pretty fast driver. I know I shouldn’t say that but I’m kind of like ahhh,” mentioned Anneka Brown, junior at Francis Marion University.
“[I speed] if I’m in a hurry to get to class than yea,” said FMU student Logan Cannon.
“Sometimes, unless you see the cops sitting there and then you slow down,” added Katelyn McCutchen, who stood right beside Cannon.
No matter how fast you drive on Francis Marion Road in Florence, the orange barrels that line the street will convince you to slow down.
“It’s an important artery for the campus particularly as the campus grows across Francis Marion Road…so the genesis of the project is really has to deal with safety,” said Tucker Mitchell, Executive Director of Public Affairs for the school.
Last month, FMU began construction on a streetscape project on highway 327 or better known as Francis Marion Road, which separates the main campus from the Griffin Athletic Complex.
The project includes a new raised curb median, along with additional sidewalks and pedestrian signals with one thing in mind.
“People see a road with a median in it, particularly a median with landscaping in it. That’s just a signal to them that they’ve entered a different kind of atmosphere. All that we think will help control traffic,” explained Mitchell.
“It kind of makes a little nervous driving on that side of the construction. As long it’s going to improve the flow of traffic its fine with me,” Brown stated.
“I’m tired of kind of seeing the construction signs everywhere,” she added.
Drivers should expect some delays and to be careful driving through that area.
Work is expected to be done by late April.
