State of Our Community discussion focuses on enhancing Exit 22 as a gateway

Aug. 31—An ambitious project proposed Tuesday by a local entrepreneur would beautify an unremarkable exchange on Interstate 20 and turn it into a gateway that would lure travelers to Aiken.

Norman Dunagan revealed to the public his vision for Exit 22 during the Aiken Chamber of Commerce's State of Our Community Luncheon at the Etherredge Center for the Fine and Performing Arts on USC Aiken's campus.

Joining him in a panel discussion about the interchange were Chamber of Commerce President and CEO J. David Jameson and Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh.

"I believe that the entryways to a community are its welcome mats," said Dunagan, who is the Chamber of Commerce's 2022 board chair.

He added that Exit 22 is an ideal location because it is where "over a million vehicles travel up and down I-20 every month."

A visit to Bowling Green, Kentucky, was the inspiration for Dunagan's idea.

"Coming into the community, I noticed that they had done a lot of beautification," Dunagan said. "The first impression I got was a good impression. I think it made me notice every other good thing about that community, and I want that to be the same for Aiken."

Dunagan talked to Jameson about possible enhancements to Exit 22 after returning to South Carolina.

That led to the formation of a working group. Its members represent the City of Aiken and Aiken County as a whole.

Behind the scenes, "for the last six months, we have been discussing this," Jameson said.

Turning Dunagan's dream into a reality will be expensive.

"It's massive project when you really look at it," Jameson said. "You have to think about where you need to start making an impression. People are going 70 or 80 miles an hour (on I-20), so it needs to begin about a mile or two before they get there (to Exit 22) to give them some slowing down time. And then, when they do turn off, (you need to think about) how to get them to go past the airport and into downtown."

Jameson didn't provide an exact figure for the project's cost.

"It will clearly take millions (of dollars) to get it done right," he said. "But it won't take that much to get it started. We need to see if there is interest from the private sector to help fund it."

Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh indicated that he and his municipal government colleagues would support the project.

"What Norman describes is something beyond the public capacity, but there are certain things that we can do," Bedenbaugh said.

"Funding of some initial staff" is available to the City of Aiken and the hiring process is underway to bring in employees to "address our gateways," he added.

Bedenbaugh, who is an ex officio member of the Chamber of Commerce's board of directors, also discussed why Exit 22 wasn't a priority in the past when Aiken leaders were considering the city's future.

"Aiken grew away from the interstate for many years because the primary economic engine (the Savannah River Site) was south of us," Bedenbaugh said. "It still will continue to be, but we're looking more toward the interstate now and looking at all the possibilities and opportunities that exist."

The City of Aiken has used $7.4 million in local, state and federal funding to expand water and sewer services near Exit 22 in recent years.

As a result, there now is more interest in commercial and industrial development along the Columbia Highway North corridor near I-20, Bedenbaugh said.

Following the panel discussion, Jameson talked further about what types of improvements could be made in the Exit 22 area to create a better gateway.

"With any plantings, you would have to think about low maintenance and drought resistance," he said. "Potentially, there could be visual art out there that would set the tone for Aiken. Another idea that has been thrown out there is that we could put up some four-board fencing that would speak to Aiken's equine heritage. Exit 22 doesn't look like Aiken at all."

Signage that would encourage drivers to travel the eight or so miles from Exit 22 to downtown also probably would be part of the project, according to Jameson.

"Right now we're exploring all concepts," he said. "We're open to any ideas that are out there."

Also during the State of Our Community Luncheon, Dr. Vahid Majidi, director of the Savannah River National Laboratory, talked about the $50-million Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative project on the USC Aiken campus.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in April. The construction of the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative facility is scheduled for completion in 2024.

In addition, Rural Health Services CEO Carolyn Emanuel-McClain participated remotely from a conference she was attending. Her presentation focused on the expansion of Rural Health Services' facilities.

At the end of the State of Our Community Luncheon program, the Chamber of Commerce recognized the Aiken County Legislative Delegation for its efforts during discussions among lawmakers earlier this year about how plutonium settlement money should be divided.

Aiken County is scheduled to receive nearly $169 million.

S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, is the Legislative Delegation's chair.