GETTING ANSWERS: Gap Creek Road

UPSTATE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - We are powering through more than one thousand of your submissions that tell us what roads in the Upstate need to be fixed. And we’re bringing them to official’s attention, one week at a time.

We’re focusing on Gap Creek Road. This road is in both Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, going from Greer to Duncan. You can split the road in two: East Gap Creek is on the Greenville County side and Gap Creek is on the Spartanburg County side. We’ve gotten complaints in both directions.

As soon as you turn from Highway 14, the bad conditions start. There are some bad spots near Greer High School and the intersection of 357, for example.

Debrah Parker has lived in the area for around 30 years.

“There’s spots all over it. Some of them are little. Some of them are huge. And the speeders going up and down through here don’t make anything better,” said Parker.

David Blaine wrote one of the submissions that brought us to Gap Creek.

“I travel up and down Gap Creek about every day. And the potholes, and where the DOT comes in and fixes, just patches it; and then, through the winter, when it gets cold, a lot of those patches they’ll get big, ‘ole holes in it,” Blaine said.

Ed Salle says if you’re one of the 4,000-5,000 drivers who have to go over the holes, hold your cups.

“You’d better keep track of where you’re going,” Salle continues, “I don’t want to spill a drink or something like that.”

Greer High, along with a few other schools, is off this road.

“Less than a quarter of a mile from here, there’s a junior high school and a high school,” said Blaine, “And people carry children going up and down the roads.”

There’s a development right across from the school.

“Probably within the next two to three miles, they’re fixing to build 700 homes and condominiums,” Blaine said, “And then, you go up about another mile and they’re building another.”

We noticed the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s crews in the area. The SCDOTs says a developer will be improving an intersection near Geer High. Plus, the department will add a round-a-bout at the intersection of Hampton/Gary Armstrong, but, after that, Parker wants more.

“Pave it. Not come out and patch it, but repave it,” Parker said.

Gap Creek is a part of two, larger contracts. Highway 14 to Country Club Road and 290 to the Greenville County line will be repaired.

Parker believes the new pavement will bring new business.

“New companies will come in and build grocery stores and things like that instead of having to go all the way to Greer,” said Parker.

There are a few markets and convenience stores, but the closest Supermarket (Walmart) is almost five miles away.

Salle just hopes the work isn’t too little, too late.

“It needs to be taken care of,” Salle continues, “That’s just like brushing your teeth in the morning. Something goes bad—before it gets bad, you take care of it.”

The DOT expects the Greenville County side to be finished by Summer 2023 and the Spartanburg County side to be completed by Fall 2024. Of course, this is all an estimation and is subject to change.

Submit a road here.

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