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Marion County commissioners to send letter after Sumter County's proposed one-way plan would lengthen some residents' trips
Summary
Commissioners discussed a Sumter County proposal to convert two adjacent roads to one-way and agreed to prepare a letter asking Sumter County to reconsider because the change would force some Marion County residents to drive a 6- to 7-mile detour to reach U.S. 301.
Marion County commissioners on June 4 discussed a proposal by neighboring Sumter County to convert parts of County Roads 101 and 103 to one-way traffic and to make related changes on County Road 102 that, staff said, would force some Marion County residents to detour 6 to 7 miles to reach U.S. 301. Commissioners agreed to prepare and send a letter asking Sumter County to reconsider the plan for the roads that affect Marion County residents.
Commissioner McLean raised the issue for his district, saying county staff had provided maps and that Sumter County planned a public hearing on the proposal on June 24. Marion County staff told commissioners they had discussed the matter with Sumter County's administrator and had just received a consultant's report recommending conversion of the two roads to one-way traffic. A county staff speaker described the traffic problem as cut-through vehicles seeking to avoid congestion at the intersection of County Road 466 and U.S. 301 and said Sumter County's proposed remedy was to reconfigure the adjacent roads.
The staff explanation noted parts of County Road 102 lie on the Marion'Sumter county line and that Sumter County had filed a right-of-way maintenance map in February 2015 and has maintained the road since. That maintenance-map filing, staff said, establishes Sumter County's maintenance jurisdiction for the road segment that Sumter County has historically maintained. Staff said Marion County had not historically maintained the road segment and residents may not have been aware of the earlier filing.
Commissioners discussed options including contacting Sumter County officials, having Marion County traffic engineers review the proposal, and drafting a letter of concern on behalf of affected Marion County residents. Commissioner McLean suggested Marion County ask Sumter County to reconsider the planned change to County Road 102 because converting other nearby roads to one-way would shift additional traffic onto 102, further affecting Marion County residents.
Chairman Bryant directed staff to prepare a letter of concern and have the correspondence come from Commissioner McLean, since the road is in his district. Commissioners said staff could continue conversations with Sumter County and return updates at a future meeting. The board did not authorize direct maintenance or jurisdictional changes for County Road 102; commissioners said any further offers of assistance would be discussed in follow-up conversations.
No formal vote was recorded on policy toward Sumter County; commissioners agreed to send the letter and to brief residents and appear before Sumter County's public hearing as appropriate.
