GASTON, S.C. — Residents in Gaston have questions about a state transportation project along Highway 321.
They are learning progress comes with growing pains when it comes to various SCDOT projects under construction.
The patching, resurfacing and two-inch widening northbound from Jimmy Martin Circle to Old Wire Road, Old Wire Road to the intersection of Highway 176 and Pine Ridge Drive to Starmount Drive is needed, but some residents say it's posing a safety concern.
"I feel like people are speeding and it's causing a lot of dust and pellets flying and rocks flying off of the ground and possibly scratching cars and windshields," Regina Haigwood, Gaston resident said.
For the last week and a half of construction, Regina Haigwood tells News19 she's been worried about dust clouds blinding her vision on the road, heavy traffic and speeding.
Pete Poore, the communications spokesperson for SCDOT, explains they take several safety measures into consideration, adding signage, closing lanes and manning the area with flaggers signaling to slow down.
"Any project that's going to involve traffic control, which means closing lanes, obviously if you're going to resurface roads, you're going to be closing some lanes. We require the contractors to submit a traffic control plan that we run past our staff to make sure that it's safe and workable," Poore said.
"I'm very appreciative for DOT, but I would like to see some different type of time frame," Haigwood said.
Regina tells News 19 she's seen most of the work during the day and wished more could happen at night.
SCDOT explains daytime work is milling, or grinding down the old road surface and that it's actually still warm enough to where contractors can pave at night.
"Asphalt can't be poured or placed as we all it below certain temperatures, so if we're going to get the work done, particularly during this time of year, they've got, when I say they, the contractors have about one more month, maybe two before we have to have them stop because it's just too cold," Poore said.
According to the state transportation department, if they need to make adjustments in their traffic control plans for these projects, they can.
Two sections of the SCDOT projects will be finished next month and the other section will be finished in May 2023.