DOT official outlines right-turn lane, crosswalk and sidewalks on U.S. 74 near Anson High; board asked to donate right-of-way
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Summary
A Department of Transportation official described a project to add a right-turn lane, reconfigured signals, and thousands of feet of sidewalk on U.S. 74 by Anson High School and asked the Anson County Board of Education to donate a right-of-way; the board placed the donation on the consent agenda.
Lee Ainsworth, a Department of Transportation official who the board said attended Anson County Schools, told the Anson County Board of Education at its meeting that DOT combined two earlier projects and proposes adding a right-turn lane and pedestrian improvements on U.S. 74 at Anson High School Road. "I don't have a formal presentation. I don't even really have talking points, but I'll be glad to go over it real quick," Ainsworth said.
Ainsworth said the plan would add "a right turn lane on 74 that would turn on to Anson High School Road," plus a dedicated left/through/right configuration for northbound traffic into the intersection. "We're adding a couple thousand feet of sidewalk that'll connect to the crossing and go to both driveways on Anson High School Road and US 74," he said. He said the crosswalk would be equipped with actuated pedestrian push buttons (pit actuators) and that signals would be reconfigured to allow pedestrians to cross both lanes.
Board members asked technical and safety questions during the discussion. The board chair asked, "Will the crosswalk have lights?" Ainsworth replied that the project "will have pit actuators up" and that lights could be installed. A board member asked whether drivers could be alerted in advance when a signal is about to change; Ainsworth said widening, curbing and sidewalks would open sight lines but that engineering limits exist because crews "are gonna have to go do some ground penetrating radar to find any unmarked graves," and there are existing headstones near magnolia trees that constrain how far work can extend into the roadside.
Ainsworth described the cross-section the project team is planning: "We're gonna add a 12 foot turn lane outside edge pavement plus curb and gutter, plus a 3 foot planning strip, plus a 5 foot sidewalk, and then an offset for the new retaining wall." He also said the project team is checking whether a future commercial driveway (referenced as a planned 7-11) could be connected by sidewalk.
During the meeting the superintendent and board members clarified that the board would need to approve donating the needed right-of-way to DOT. Dr. Brian C. Ratliff asked whether the board must vote to give the right-of-way; a staff member replied, "We do," and later the agenda item appeared on the consent agenda as item A09.
The discussion produced no separate formal motion during the presentation. The staff representative said DOT would consult its traffic safety unit for additional recommendations on sight lines and signal timing. The right-of-way donation was placed on the consent agenda for board action later in the meeting.
The board did not debate the DOT item later in open discussion; the donation request was approved as part of the consent agenda vote that followed. The transcript records technical concerns from board members about sight lines, signal-warning signage and the potential need to locate unmarked graves before construction, which DOT said it would address as part of project design and permitting.
The board meeting record indicates next steps: DOT will proceed with engineering work and stakeholder coordination, and the board voted on the consent agenda that included the right-of-way donation (see related consent vote in the meeting record).
