SCDOT is adding a traffic signal and turn lanes to the intersection where Wampee Road and Little River Road meet.
People close to the area, like Pastor Leon Weber of Grace Christian Fellowship, believe it will prevent deadly accidents like those that have happened before.
“We’ve had a lot of people killed on this corner. I haven’t witnessed that, but I’ve got EMT people that are in the church that have told us that this is just a terrible corner for deaths and accidents,” said Weber.
Eastbound Highway 57 sees 8800 cars a day, according to SCDOT’s project engineer, Joe Sturm.
Weber is one of the over 100 people who were at the public meeting Tuesday night where SCDOT talked about the turn signal and lanes they’ll be adding to the crossing.
“Overall, I would say, for the people that I talked to, people were pleased that this project was coming,” said Sturm.
“Oh, absolutely. We’ve got to slow the traffic down,” said Weber. “That’s another thing, is, you know, the speed limit’s 45, but we see people driving by, 65 miles an hour.”
Weber hopes the project, whose construction will begin in Winter of 2020, will help prevent accidents like the ones he’s seen in the 18 years his church has been there.
“A wrecker that was carrying a car, broadsided a van that pulled out, out here, and we saw them out, it was in the field next door over here, but they were literally cutting out both sides of the van to get these people out,” said Weber.
Originally, the project was only one signal light. Now, it’s also four new left lanes at all four approaches, and a right turn lane on Eastbound Highway 57.
“After we studied the traffic at the intersection, it was determined that adding a signal without turn lanes would actually increase congestion,” Sturm said.
Sturm says the next step is to purchase land from property owners around the intersection, which will begin this Fall.
SCDOT says the project is funded by the Grand Strand Area Transportation study’s guideshare and the Horry County Transportation Committee.