By Samantha Swann
Posted Aug 7, 2018 at 7:28 PM
Updated Aug 8, 2018 at 2:41 PM
Mary Ann Cleland stood with her family on the corner of Palmetto and Pine streets. It was lightly raining, but when the white walk symbol appeared on the crosswalk signal, the family stayed on the corner several seconds into the countdown. That’s what it takes to ensure a safe crossing, Cleland said.
“I press the button. I wait for the light to change. When it is red, then I look to make sure that all the cars in the four lanes are stopped, and I try to see if they see me, kind of make eye contact to see if they see me before taking the family across the street,” Cleland said. “It seems like we just don’t have a ton of time to get across once I do make all those eye contacts.”
Mary Ann, her husband Jeff, and their children Malcolm and Camille try to keep up an active lifestyle, often walking from their home in Converse Heights to the YMCA, the Mary Black Rail Trail and Pine Street Elementary. But despite their proximity to many of the new downtown attractions, Cleland said the traffic on Pine Street, both the speed and volume, can seem and be quite dangerous, particularly when the transfer and tanker truck traffic is factored in.
“We chose this downtown neighborhood because of the walkability, but we kind of feel isolated from downtown because this road is so busy to cross, and even though some places are only less than a mile away, we sometimes feel intimidated to walk to them because of this barrier,” Cleland said.
This concern has been felt in and around Converse Heights for several years and has only become more of a concern as traffic has increased with downtown growth. Jody Traywick, a Converse Heights resident, spearheaded a push to increase safety on Pine Street four years ago and is still working to make pedestrians safer.
In August 2017, Traywick, Converse College spokeswoman Beth Lancaster, and then-principal of Pine Street Elementary School Ann Chapman Jeter presented the issue to the Spartanburg County Legislative Delegation, bringing with them a list of suggestions from a meeting with leaders from the South Carolina Trucking Association and Associated Petroleum Carriers, Rick Todd and Jerry Smith.
These recommendations included reducing the speed limit on Pine Street between Forest Avenue and the elementary school from 40 to 35, compelling and visible signs indicating the speed limit and school zone, well-marked crosswalks, and more effective enforcement of traffic laws on the street. Of these four suggestions, one has been implemented.