Letters: Road work will benefit Florence

As vice-chairman of Florence County Council, I thought the Oct. 25 article “Critics say S.C. road projects are paved with cronyism” offered a lot of comment from those who oppose road development but very little from those of us who have a different point of view.

Widening U.S. 378 and S.C. 51 will greatly enhance the ability to provide public safety services for residents of Florence County and those who travel through it. Florence has some of the most advanced hospital care in eastern South Carolina, and this road will facilitate transportation of critical patients from wrecks on 378 and those living in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties.

S.C. 51 will facilitate access to 378, which crosses the Pee Dee at the lower end of the county and provides an alternative access to the beach.

If those critical had to drive on S.C. 51 every day, they would know why most of us in Florence County avoid what is one of the most dangerous highways in our county.

Cronyism? I don’t think so. The citizens of Florence County voted for this road to be widened; even Sen. Hugh Leatherman could not have gotten the state funding for it without their support.

This story was originally published November 15, 2015 at 12:12 PM.