Sports Bar in Dorchester, SC

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - If you drive along the Berlin G. Myers Parkway, you may notice Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office deputies checking your speed as they are working on their Focus Traffic Enforcement Operation.

Since the Berlin G. Myers Parkway opened in Dorchester County, community members and parents in the area began to notice more traffic through their neighborhoods, like Newington Plantation Estates.

“We’re not asking them to do anything outside of the law. Just follow the speed limit,” Newington Plantation Estates Homeowners Association President Larry Collett said.

The concerns eventually led to reaching out to the sheriff’s office for help. Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Steven Wright said they see a higher number of speeders in this area in comparison to others.

“Our enforcement efforts so far have demonstrated that over the average hour, we are pulling or stopping at least 10 to 15 vehicles for various traffic infractions,” Wright said.

He said on Wednesday morning, within 10 seconds of being out there, a person was stopped during this operation for going 73 mph in a 45 mph speed limit, which is a four-point violation on your record and a $440 fine.

Wright said that shows why both the sheriff’s office and neighbors, like Collett, want to be proactive in these efforts and conversations.

“Whether it’s with your friends, your family, your kids, just having the conversation, letting them know to slow down, ‘you’re not in a hurry. You may get somewhere six seconds earlier or six seconds slower, but you’re going to protect a life,’” Collett said.

Wright and Collett said a life is worth slowing down for.

“You can’t get somewhere quicker if you’re pulled over for violating the law and speeding. You can’t get somewhere quicker if you’re injured on the way there,” Wright said.

Prior to the new parkway opening, Collett said they didn’t see nearly as much traffic in their neighborhood. He said, although it’s convenient, it can be concerning knowing he has children.

“We would just see so many people speeding through here. One of the things is that I have three boys and no matter how many times you tell them to look both ways before you cross, they’re not doing it, and so that’s what scares us, it’s the speeders,” Collett said.

Wright said they will continue to do these speed checks until they start to see tangible results of people slowing down.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston Area Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization approved $1.5 million in funding for improving South Carolina Highway 61 in Dorchester County.

“Safety is a number one concern,” Dorchester County Councilman Jay Byars said.

He said that this project needs to happen to keep people who use this highway safe.

“A lot of truck traffic in that area that’s really just torn that road up. So this is something that’s really important for the safety of the people in that area,” Byars said.

The project targets S.C. Highway 61 from Summers Drive to Bacons Bridge Road in Summerville.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation said the first phase of this construction will include roadway improvements like rumble strips, widened shoulders, brighter pavement markings and resurfacing.

“That 61 corridor being a two-lane road, there’s just a lot of potholes from the truck traffic,” Byars said.

The second phase is focusing on the pedestrian traffic and keeping the community safe.

SCDOT is going to add a 10-foot shared-use path along the corridor, which will be multi-use.

“Adding in some bike lanes. There’s going to be a multi-use path that’s going to be in a second phase. So, that’s going to allow some safer pedestrian traffic right now. There is no pedestrian traffic on there unless you have a death wish,” Byars said.

He said this is extremely important, especially because of the number of schools around that area.

“You got 1, 2, 3, 4 schools on that road within like a five-mile radius, four major schools. You have two elementary schools and two middle schools. And then you’ve got upwards of 3,000 to 4,000 new homes in Summer’s Corner that have been developed. There’s just a lot more traffic over there than it used to be and this is something that is at least 15 years overdue, but we’re finally seeing it come to fruition,” he said.

The project is not being funded by Dorchester County since it is a state highway.

“This is primarily funding coming from the DOT as well as some local uh chats money, but the county’s not having to put any money into this particular project,” Byars said.

The first phase is estimated to be wrapped up by the summer of 2026.