FORT MILL, S.C. — South Carolina Department of Transportation crews have completed repairs along Sam Smith Road in Fort Mill after it was washed out during a recent storm causing road closures.
Multiple parents in the area shared with WCNC Charlotte that the closure has been inconvenient, and it only added on to their calls for safer routes for students to walk to school.
Parents like Chelsea Beauchamp said they’ve been advocating “for a few years now” for safety measures like a lower speed limit, school zone lights, and a sidewalk.
“There are some students who walk and I’m terrified for their safety because there’s no shoulder. They’re walking pretty much on the road, it’s a very narrow lane,” she added.
Joe Burke spokesperson for the Fort Mill School District said, “The school district does not have jurisdiction over non-district properties. However, [the district is] aware of the road closure at the intersection of Harris Road and Sam Smith Road following recent storms.”
Burke then added, “The area has long been identified as lacking a safe walking path to Fort Mill High School, which is why [the school district ensures] that bus transportation is available to all students.”
But parents say with many students walking along the highway already, safety accommodations should be made before the situation turns tragic.
“It’s very possible for a student to get hit any day now. It will take an accident of catastrophic measure for actions to be taken. I don’t want for us to wait for that to happen to take action,” Beauchamp said.
Contact Anna King at aking2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.