Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Streets Grant topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council after CSX/DOT work disrupts Mayard Street paving grant
Summary
Residents raised safety and communication concerns after CSX and the Department of Transportation approved closure of a road segment used in a $750,000 paving grant area; town grant manager said the town arranged to move the grant work area so the affected block will be excluded and paving can begin next year.
Multiple residents told the Cheraw Town Council they were alarmed that CSX and the Department of Transportation had approved closures or work that interfered with a town paving project and limited access on Mayard/Main Street.
Karen Wilkerson, a lifelong Cheraw resident, said she learned of the closure only after noticing work in her neighborhood and warned that restricting access could threaten emergency response and undermine neighborhood revitalization plans. She said the town had applied for and received grant funding to repave the neighborhood and that the railroad and DOT had not adequately engaged the town.
Janie, the town’s grant manager, responded that the town was awarded a $750,000 grant intended to begin phase two of neighborhood paving (including Mayard Street and adjacent streets). She said CSX and the county DOT had already coordinated road closure approvals and had not engaged the town early enough, which put part of the grant at risk.
Town staff said they held a conference call with the grant agency and arranged to move the project area boundary so the section where railroad operations are occurring will be excluded from the grant‑funded portion; the town expects preliminary paving design to be complete this month, final design in two months, and to begin paving in the first quarter of next year for the adjusted area.
Residents asked who will hold CSX or its subcontractors responsible to ensure the railroad completes the work and that the town’s paving work is finished when operations end. Councilors acknowledged the concerns, said they will follow up with state agencies and return with additional information, and encouraged residents to return for updates.
The transcript includes citizen references to the Fifth Amendment and state noise statutes in broader comments about property rights and neighborhood quality; staff limited the update to project timeline and grant area adjustments.
