FORT MILL, S.C. — The town of Fort Mill has more than doubled its population in the last 20 years. Much of that growth has appeared on Highway 160 West toward Indian Land, and more recently, to the south on Dobys Bridge Road.
That's where Janice Luper moved several years ago. She likes the community but has concerns about a proposed 1,000-home subdivision planned down the road from her. She said the commute to work is already terrible.
"Especially at 5 o'clock when people are coming home. You can't even pull out of your neighborhood," Luper said.
Heather Bray-Hunt drives through downtown Fort Mill to reach Interstate 77 each morning. Downtown is a series of two-lane roads.
"It's bumper-to-bumper, and there are accidents," she said.
A developer wants to build a new community called Waterside on the Catawba on Dobys Bridge Road across from White's Road.
The 450-acre project will contain roughly two homes per acre, along with open space. It borders another large subdivision already building homes, and an elementary school also under construction.
Several homeowners in the area told Channel 9 they're counting on the completion of a southern bypass around Fort Mill that should ease traffic.
However, that bypass is still in the works.
Gretchen McCarter manages a convenience store on Dobys Bridge Road. She sees the increased traffic as all good news.
"This is nothing but good as far as I can see. Good growth, more people, more everything," she said.
Fort Mill city officials told Channel 9 they didn't have any comment yet on the proposal because council members have not voted on it yet.
A public hearing was held at Monday night's council meeting, to give the community a chance to speak out about concerns such as traffic.
The developer is working with the city to try and respond to traffic concerns by giving the proposed community several entrances and exits.
A final vote isn't expected for several weeks.
WSOC
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