New developments are taking shape in Bryan County. None of them have to do with Hyundai.
New developments are taking shape in Bryan County and none of them have to do with Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America. Road improvements and living spaces for older adults are in the works.
Here is what to know.
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A place for seniors to thrive
New senior centers are coming to both ends of the county.
In Pembroke, residents will see a new center thanks to a $1 million Community Development Block Grant, which will help fund the project. On the south end, Richmond Hill was given the green light for a senior center of its own. The 15-year, rent-free space will be located in Carrington Town Center. County Commissioner Carter Infinger said the developments are significant in that both gives seniors a place to thrive.
“These seniors are going to have a new place to congregate,” said Infinger. “It’s great for them and for our community. It gives them a place to live and do activities. We need something like that.”
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'It means so much to me'
Folks who live on Mill Creek Church Road in Ellabell are one step closer to driving down a paved street.
The paving project was approved by county commissioners and construction is slated to begin mid-2024.
Infinger told the Savannah Morning News in a previous interview the project is being fast tracked. Residents who live on or near it have been waiting for a slab of concrete to fill the dirt road for years.
Ellabell resident Ella Moore said her father initiated talks of getting the road paved three decades ago, but the conversation stalled.
Moore has been persistent, attending various meetings to ensure the folks in charge of the project do not forget about the tiny community that inhabits the road.
“His legacy and efforts are not going in vain,” said Moore. “That’s why it means so much to me – if I don’t do nothing else, I’m going to get this road paved. I am super excited to see us getting this far in a year and knowing that it’s going to happen. It kept getting put under the table. Every time I go to the county commissioners' meeting, I bring it up. We want answers. Next thing I know, I get a phone call. I would not have gotten as far as I did without God and pushing our leaders to make sure this happens.”
Several homes, businesses and Boyd’s Temple Tabernacle of Praise are lined up alongside the road.
As residents pile into the church on Sunday mornings, they pray it doesn’t rain. A ditch in front of the church floods when the skies open and long showers turn the dirt to mud, making it hard for churchgoers to get in and out.
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Bishop Tony Singleton knows all too well the struggle that comes with driving in those conditions. In a previous interview, he told the Savannah Morning News that he rolled up his sleeves to get a car out of the ditch one day. Moore said road conditions put lives in danger, especially for someone who may need medical attention.
“It’s very dangerous driving down that road,” said Moore. “There are three areas that can get completely washed out. You will either need someone to pull you out or you will be stuck. If we have a disaster on that road, the ambulance would not be able to get to residents.”
Other roads throughout the county will receive a facelift too, thanks to the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant. The funds will help pave all of Wilma Edwards Road and Briarwood Lane, as well as a portion of Porterfield Road, Dunham Parkway, Victors Court and Lou Page Lane.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: New developments and road repairs are coming to Bryan County
