Simpsonville City Council will hold their regular committee of the whole meeting on January 24th and according to Ward 2 City Council member Aaron Rupe, the Council will discuss the closing of Hunter Street and its potential reopening. Rupe said he intends to make a motion to consider the Hunter Street reopening. If that is approved, it will be placed on the agenda for voting at the next business meeting on February 14th.

The road was closed on December 23rd after several weeks of advertising. Public hearings were held to discuss the closing but there was little opposition. That was until the road was actually closed. Concrete barriers were put up on the 23rd of December causing several people appeal to Council and protest the closing.

City Council chambers were packed at each meeting after the closing in December as well as the first business meeting on January 10th. Speakers signed up to address the Council from both sides of the issue, but most were against the closing. Several violations were recorded by the Police Department of people driving around the blockade to enter Jonesville Rd.

Inquiries from residents through Freedom of Information were presented to the city asking for evidence of safety issues requiring the road to be closed. At this date no evidence has been forwarded.

Normally, when there is an issue with the street a traffic survey is done to demonstrate the effectiveness of the road and whether or not it should be adjusted. The city has what is called a traffic calming policy that studies the best use of the road and determines how to implement potential changes. There does not appear to be alarming data that would justify the closure of Hunter Street.

Several neighborhoods around the city are considered by some to be cut through streets. Poinsettia neighborhoods and Hunters Woods have all had traffic studies done to calm the traffic and make it safer. Speed bumps were added on Hunters Woods drive just to slow down cut through traffic. There was much discussion with the Fire Department and the Police Department who admit they do not like speed humps in neighborhoods because at higher speeds it damages their vehicles. However, it has shown to be a proven method of calming traffic.

These studies must be done in League Estates, on Pliney and Hunter St. before any decision is made to close an artery to downtown. Downtown Simpsonville is in a high growth period, where businesses are flourishing, new apartments are being built and the population growing by leaps and bounds. The last thing a community should consider is closing a downtown street■