Staff Writer

EASLEY - Work on transforming Easley's downtown into a

pedestrian-friendly shopping destination continues.

Now that officials have received DOT approval for the

downtown streetscaping project, members of the Tax Increment

Financing Committee met last week to discuss railroad approval,

the addition of public restrooms and traffic issues.

Sidewalk and curbing work in the downtown area should

begin in the next few weeks, said Building Official Tommy

Holcombe.

"You're going to start seeing some action there," Holcombe

said.

The S.C. Department of Transportation requires signage to be

displayed regarding ongoing construction, which has caused a

delay, he said.

"We are moving forward," Holcombe said. "Things will pick

up swiftly here in the next few weeks."

Patrick Rivers of Land Planning Associates Inc., the company

in charge of the downtown design, said plans have been submitted to Norfolk Southern Railroad for approval. TIF district plans call for the creation of a brick wall running

the length of the railroad downtown. Plans also call for the removal of a wire fence near the railroad - which may need to be reconsidered, said Public Works Director Lamar Hunnicutt.

"We can take it down, we've got approval from the railroad,"

he said. "But if you walk along that shoulder, there's a drop-off.

That's why the fence is there. It keeps people from falling."

The fence does not belong to the railroad but is situated in

Norfolk Southern's right of way and therefore requires their

approval before changes can be made, Rivers said.

If Norfolk Southern officials approve the brick wall, it should

take care of the wire fence problem, said committee Chairman

Larry Bagwell.

Members of the committee expect the railroad approval

process to take quite some time, so the brick wall will be the last

part of revitalization work to take place.

Hunnicutt recommended that the light poles currently being

placed in the downtown area be set back from the street to

prevent tractor-trailers from hitting them as they turn.

"Those two corners (Pendleton and Main) we've always had a

problem with," Holcombe said.

Councilman Dave Watson suggested placing posts around the

poles to prevent them from being hit.

"I have a feeling if even you set them back, they'll still be

hitting them," Watson said. "Tractor trailers run up over curbs."

Rivers agreed.

"If you set posts up, that will damage the trailer," he said. "A

truck driver's not going to damage his trailer. He'll stop the

world to get out of there without damaging his trailer."

Developer Jim Wilson asked if anything could be done

regarding the traffic light at Pendleton Street and North Main.

"That is the longest light in Easley,' Wilson said.

Hunnicutt said the wait issue had been brought up many

times.

"I don't think you can cut it down," he said. "You've got so

many movements there. It takes that long to make that cycle."

Wilson would like to see turn arrows put in.

"A lot of times people have the right of way, the light is

stopped for you but you don't realize it," he said. "People sit

there and sit there and sit there."

Officials have explored the option of putting a light in at

North A Street and S.C. 135, Holcombe said.

'We gave that recommendation to the state," Holcombe said.

"They said they would run a (traffic) count, which is their first

step."

Now that the city has purchased the old Donnie's Taxi

property, committee members need to plan how to use the it to

connect the new municipal parking lot next to Joe's with Old

Market Square across Pendleton Street, Bagwell said.

"That's going to be a focal point," he said.

One proposal for that site was public restrooms but that idea

is proving too costly to implement, Holcombe said, citing

concerns over complying with the Americans with Disabilities

Act.

"It's going to cost us more to get it to ADA standards,"

Holcombe said. "We'd spending a whole lot more than we would

spend taking the building down."

Holcombe suggested going on with other aspects of the TIF

plan then addressing public restrooms as needed.

"Whenever it's time for it, the water connection's there,

everything's there," Holcombe said.

Watson said he would like to see a fountain on the property.

"That'd be the perfect place to put it," he said. "It'd be a real

attraction."

The next TIF committee meeting is slated for 8:30 a.m.

Thursday Dec. 6 at City Hall. For more information, call 855-7908.