FORT MILL, S.C. — A busy road in Fort Mill is set to get some much-needed relief thanks to a project that was approved by voters.
York County government leaders say a stretch of Sutton Road to the Fort Mill Parkway, just east of Interstate 77, will be widened from two lanes to five lanes. It's part of the fourth round of projects funded by the Pennies for Progress initiative, the name for the county's Capital Projects Sales and Use Tax Programs.
The design process is almost complete, so county leaders are now focused on getting the word out to nearby property owners about what to expect. That includes families like Brenda and Tedd Stegall, who built their home off Sutton Road more than 30 years ago.
"Fort Mill is not the little, small town it once was," Brenda Stegall told WCNC Charlotte, reminiscing on watching her daughter grow up and grandchildren play from her front porch.
That all was before a development boom brought in more new faces and traffic with it. But York County leaders say expanding Sutton Road should offer some relief.
That 2-mile stretch of Sutton Road turns into the Fort Mill Parkway, which also intersects with Spratt Street in the southwestern part of town. All of it will be expanded to five lanes, spanning from the east side of I-77 to the railroad bridge just near the U.S. Foods.
Tedd Stegall thinks the widening is a welcome project for the community. Still, he hopes most of the busy traffic stays away from his house.
"I look forward to them widening the road. It needs it," he said. "They don't have any houses on the other side of the road. I hope they go that way instead of our way."
Brenda also added the family would learn to adapt to the new developments.
"Just change with growth, I understand that," she said. "I guess we just sit back and see what happens."
County leaders assure that the project is necessary. Patrick Hamilton, an assistant engineer with the county government, said about 19,000 vehicles per day make the drive on it, making it a heavily traveled road. And it's set to become even more popular soon.
"There's a large residential, commercial, mixed-use development that's under construction now," Hamilton said. "Compounded with these schools and other growth in the area, there's way too much traffic on that road for it to only be a two-lane road."
Hamilton also said the road widening will be a largely symmetrical one "due to having to tie it into I-77 and then down at [U.S. Highway] 21".
York County government leaders hope to see the work begin by late 2025.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.