Bamberg County Council Adopts Resolutions to Enhance Traffic Safety

Posted by 03/05/2024 Categories: Bamberg County Airport Bamberg County Emergency Services bamberg south carolina city of bamberg south carolina community democratic party government keep America Beautiful Keep Bamberg County Beautiful local government national weather service presidential election Public Works republican party South Carolina tornado

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To: News Media

From: Bamberg County Administration

Date: March 5, 2024

Re: Bamberg County Council Adopts Resolution to Enhance Traffic Safety

Bamberg, South Carolina (March 2024) – During Monday night’s meeting, Bamberg County Council unanimously adopted two resolutions to enhance traffic safety surrounding Andrew Jackson Academy and Clearpond Fire Department. To reduce speed and enhance overall traffic safety, County Council supports the installation of flashing speed limit sign assemblies near Andrew Jackson Academy and a flashing warning beacon near the Clearpond Fire Department, Station 4.

Andrew Jackson Academy is located approximately at mile point 9.8 along US-601 (Broxton Bridge Road), south of the City of Bamberg and has 300 students in grades K-12 and 25 staff members. Currently, ingress and egress to the school occur via a single entrance driveway located on the northern boundary of the site and a single exit driveway located on the southern boundary of the site. The driveways are connected by an internal one-way road. US-601 is a two-lane rural highway with a posted speed limit of 55 mph and an annual average daily traffic count of 1800 vehicles per day, and there are no turn lanes on US-601 to access the school, forcing all turning vehicles to fully decelerate within the throughway. Therefore, Bamberg County Council fully endorses the installation of flashing school speed limit sign assemblies near Andrew Jackson Academy that will help reduce vehicle speeds during school arrival and dismissal times and provide an increased level of security for motorists and pedestrians along this section of US-601.

Additionally, Bamberg County Council fully endorses the installation of a flashing beacon at the intersection of S-59 (Clear Pond Road) and US-601 (Broxton Bridge Road), located approximately at mile point 10.04 along US-601, south of the City of Bamberg. The flashing beacon will serve as an additional warning to motorists approaching the Clearpond Fire Department, Station 4, which provides essential rural fire and EMS services for the surrounding community. Ingress and egress to the station occur through a full access driveway on US-601 and a second full access driveway on S-59. Emergency vehicles entering US-601 (Broxton Bridge Road) and S-59 are required to stop within the driveways and wait for traffic to clear before entering the roadway. US-601 is a two-lane rural highway with posted 55 mph speed limit signs and an annual average daily traffic count of 1800 vehicles per day. Conversely, Clear Pond Road is a two-lane rural highway without posted speed limit signs approaching the stop condition at US-601 with an annual average daily traffic count of 3100 vehicles per day. The installation of a flashing beacon will increase the safety level at this intersection by providing a warning to motorists of possible emergency vehicles entering the roadway.

Bamberg County Council Chairman Evert Comer, Jr. said, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our constituents, especially that of our children. These added safety features will serve as another reminder for motorists to proceed with extra caution.”

“These resolutions demonstrate Bamberg County’s commitment to the security of our citizens and the ability of our emergency responders to do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible,” noted County Administrator Joey Preston.

####

For more information on this press release, email info@bambergcounty.sc.gov.