When it comes to natural, whole-body wellness, chiropractic care is one of the most effective ways to heal your body. Unfortunately, in today's society, people with neck and back pain settle for addictive pain medication or invasive surgeries over chiropractic treatments. At Summerville Spine & Disc Center, we specialize in correcting pain through non-invasive, quality chiropractic work. Rather than treat symptoms that return over time, we address your body's underlying conditions. That way, we can provide you with real results and a long-term solution to your pain problems.
No surgery. No strange meds. No aggressive sales tactics or fine print.
Whether your journey to wellness involves light chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, or custom shoe insoles, we can help. We're proud to be your trusted chiropractor near Summerville and treat every client with the utmost respect and compassion, whether it's their first or fiftieth visit. Unlike some chiropractors in South Carolina, we believe in a client-centric approach based on real results and one-on-one service. We strive to foster a positive environment with a community feel. You won't ever be judged or shamed at our practice. On the contrary, we will communicate with you in a friendly, encouraging manner, empowering you to live your best life.
At Summerville Spine & Disc Center, we offer our valued clients a wide range of chiropractic services that solve serious symptoms like:
If you are always in pain and have given up on your doctor's suggested therapies, we've got great news - a permanent solution to your back and foot pain may be closer than you might think.
We like to think there's a simple reason why so many clients return to our chiropractic office near Summerville. Sure, our state-of-the-art, modern equipment and technology are leaps and bounds above the rest. But what truly sets us apart is our dedication to you, the client.
We see you as so much more than a financial transaction. Our team knows that no two people are the same. As such, we never use "cookie-cutter" plans in our chiropractic treatments - we use a personalized approach, focusing on your long-term pain relief and wellness.
As doctors and specialists, we hold true to our core values:
We want you to feel comfortable knowing that from your first visit, you will be treated with the care and compassion you would expect from a team of professionals.
At Summerville Spine & Disc Center, our doctors are not just experts. They're people, too, and understand how pain and back problems can be crippling. Our goal is to get you well as soon as possible, without drugs or surgeries. That way, you can get back to a normal, healthy living for years to come.
We pair cutting-edge technology with advanced chiropractic services like spinal decompression to get your life back on track.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to see a chiropractor as soon as possible, we're here for you. Our chiropractors have treated thousands of patients, and we can treat you too.
Our office offers a robust range of chiropractic services near Summerville, from custom shoe insoles for your feet to adjustments and massages for your back.
For many patients suffering from serious disc problems in the past, the path to pain-free living often involved addictive medicines and invasive spinal surgeries. Thankfully, those days are gone, and today, patients benefit greatly from spinal decompression services.
This powerful treatment was developed for patients with herniated or degenerated discs and treats sciatica and lower back pain better than other more dangerous solutions. Spinal Decompression Therapy not only reduces back pain and nerve pain - it allows patients the chance to reclaim their lives and enjoy activities that they thought were impossible to experience.
Thousands of people, including athletes and elderly patients, are choosing spinal decompression over surgery and medication. They're sick of masking their pain with strange medicines that cause horrible side effects. They're frustrated by ineffective shots and costly surgeries, which result in weeks of downtime and scarring. Spinal decompression is safe, effective, and non-invasive, but it's not right for everyone. For that reason, it's essential to work closely with your chiropractic doctor at Summerville Spine & Disc to ensure successful treatment. Our doctors will work with other applicable health professionals in your care network to discover the exact nature of your back pain and which treatments are best.
While physical therapy, traction, and traditional chiropractic manipulation reduce disc pressure, only spinal decompression near Summerville can elicit negative spinal pressure. Clinical trials show that spinal decompression techniques create negative pressure as low as -110 mm HG3. Usually, when pulls are exerted on your spine, it triggers your sensory receptors, which cause your back to tighten the muscles around your vertebrae and discs. Your body does this to prevent injury. However, spinal decompression circumvents this natural response by pulling on the spine slowly, which relaxes your back over time. This process, performed by experienced physicians at Summerville Spine & Disc Center, lets your discs be repositioned without muscle guarding or spasms.
Most often, spinal decompression patients do not experience any major, negative side effects. One common side effect occurs after the first couple of treatments, which can include dull aches or soreness. It feels similar to working out for the first time in a very long time. Patients rarely suffer from pain worse than the injury that caused them to seek treatment. Some patients with severe, acute herniations can experience mild back pain during the first couple weeks of treatment. That's because the disc herniation needs to retract, eliminating nerve pressure. Despite some minor aches and pains, most spinal decompression patients enjoy up to 50% relief after only a few sessions. At the end of the day, spinal decompression from Summerville Spine and Disc Center is a comfortable, safe treatment.
Prior to treatment, patients are examined manually with advanced imaging technology, to determine if spinal decompression is suitable and which spinal discs are compressed. Once you're approved for spinal decompression treatment, the patient is placed in a comfortable position on the decompression table. A specific force is applied to your compressed discs while a computer alternates decompression and relaxation cycles. Typically, we apply a series of 18 one-minute alternating decompression and relaxation cycles, which takes approximately 30 minutes. During this process, your spine is gently elongated, creating a vacuum that pulls your discs back into proper position. Realigning the discs in this manner reduces pain and promotes healing. Our spinal decompression treatments are not "one and done" - most patients need up to 24 treatments over a six-week period to completely relieve pain.
If you suffer from one or more of the following signs, spinal decompression may be a suitable treatment for you. Remember, you should always consult with your chiropractic doctor before moving forward.
If you're ready to get started on the path to pain-free living, contact our office today to schedule your no-cost spinal decompression consultation.
Custom shoe insoles sound exactly like what they are: shoe inserts that are custom-made for your feet. They are specially crafted to fit your foot shape perfectly and treat foot and body conditions that cause pain and discomfort. Our custom insoles are calibrated using your intended use and weight, providing incredible support during weight-bearing activities like standing and running.
Our custom shoe insoles help anyone experiencing pain from walking or imbalances in the body that are known to cause pain. One tremendous benefit of custom orthotics is that you can wear them on a daily basis, so you can enjoy normal activities without pain.
Unlike some chiropractors near Summerville, we offer custom shoe insoles that are clinically proven to improve your body's total wellness. Our insoles also reduce pain by balancing your body from the ground up. After all, your feet are your body's foundation.
When you suffer from structural imbalances in your feet, you may be suffering from symptoms like:
Plantar Fasciitis: Also called heel pain syndrome, this malady is considered the most common type of heel pain. It becomes apparent after a gradual degeneration of your plantar fascia or when sudden trauma occurs. It feels like a deep ache or sharp stab and often happens in the morning when you first take a step.
Lower Back Pain: Low back pain is very common, especially in hardworking men and women. It can be caused by an unusual "gait" or walk, which imbalances your lower extremities like your knees, feet, and ankles. This causes pain throughout the body, but particularly in your lower back.
Sciatica: If you are experiencing numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness that starts in your lower back and shoots down your leg, you might have sciatica. When combined with chiropractic treatments, custom shoe insoles can solve your sciatica issues.
Plastic Deformation: The soft tissues that make up the three arches in your feet are stretched every day. However, over the years, your arches suffer from decreased elasticity when they're pushed beyond their limits. Once your feet's arches are stretched beyond their limits, they will never be the same. Custom shoe insoles from Summerville Spine & Disc Center give you more stability and shock absorption. This helps support the structure of your feet and provides pain relief daily.
Knee Pain: Knee pain is a very common problem for adults in the U.S. It can come about through sudden injuries or may be part of an underlying condition, like arthritis. In many cases, successfully treating your knee pain requires a comprehensive treatment plan from your chiropractor, starting with custom insoles for your shoes.
You might be asking yourself, "how do I get started with orthotics?"
We start with a one-on-one consultation to discover your pain points. Once we have learned everything possible about your problems and symptoms, we'll take a foot impression or scan to show imbalances in your feet, which lead to problems within your body. Once we have a proper foot scan, we get to work crafting your insoles.
Our team pulls together our collective training and experience to build you a custom insole for enhanced support and long-term pain relief. That way, you can get back to enjoying an active life.
At Summerville Spine & Disc Center, we're proud to use Foot Levelers custom insoles for our patients. Only Foot Levelers support all three arches in your feet. Your arches give your feet the strength to keep your body balanced. Balancing your foundation helps relieve pain and prevents future issues.
Q.Who Are Custom Shoe Insoles Right For?
A.Custom-made insoles are necessary for many athletes, diabetics, and people with debilitating injuries. They often suffer from Achilles tendinitis, lower back pain, overpronation, hip pain, knee pain, etc. But not all shoe insoles are created equal. You can count on our team to select the ideal materials for your insoles while ensuring a perfect fit tailored to your body for maximum comfort.
Are you looking for a chiropractor near Summerville, SC who treats more than just symptoms? If you're sick of chiropractic services that aren't tailored to your needs and body, it's time to make a change. Our expert chiropractors at Summerville Spine & Disc Center focus on your needs, not an idealized version of you. From chiropractic adjustments to custom shoe inserts and spinal decompression, we have the services and treatments you need to live life to the fullest.
Ready to live your best life free of pain? Contact our office today or explore our site to learn more about the Summerville Spine & Disc Center difference. We want you to feel comfortable knowing that you will be treated with care, compassion, and excellence every time you visit our office.
A 15 minute conversation with one of our doctors before agreeing to treatment
Summerville, SC - (NewMediaWire) - May 12, 2023 - QC Kinetix (Summerville) offers treatment interventions for chronic pain, hair loss, and musculoskeletal conditions. The biologic therapies log into the body's self-healing mechanisms to hasten recovery. When patients first arrive for a zero-obligation consultation, they are ushered into a modern treatment facility to discuss their conditi...
Summerville, SC - (NewMediaWire) - May 12, 2023 - QC Kinetix (Summerville) offers treatment interventions for chronic pain, hair loss, and musculoskeletal conditions. The biologic therapies log into the body's self-healing mechanisms to hasten recovery. When patients first arrive for a zero-obligation consultation, they are ushered into a modern treatment facility to discuss their condition and the ways regenerative treatment can help them. The medical providers at the QC Kinetix (Summerville) pain control clinic have extensive experience working with patients taken aback by shoulder pain, hip pain, wrist pain, joint pain, lower back pain, and pain due to arthritis, among other conditions.
The well-researched and clinically tested treatments administered at QC Kinetix (Summerville) are a product of medical providers who understand pain in all its facets. Their hair restoration treatment is designed to help with hair growth and is only available in a few clinics. The providers at the clinic are conversant with the top-level- care concept when providing regenerative medicine therapies. Once the patient's condition is examined and determined, the medical providers will develop a customized treatment plan that meets the patient's medical needs. The selected therapies aim to achieve the set treatment goals, which include easing pain once and for all.
The team of providers at QC Kinetix (Summerville) includes Michael Garzone, FACP, FHM, DO; Alexandra White, PA-C; and Marc Difronzo, PA-C, MMS. Garzone studied Internal Medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and has extensive experience in palliative care, hospitalist medicine, critical care medicine, and geriatrics. Long Island native Marc Difronzo holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and has served in the military as a Special Operations for 16 years. He has also had six deployments with South Carolina Army National Guard. Board-certified physician White has interests in movement and exercise and regenerative medicine.
The QC Kinetix (Summerville) pain control clinic has become a center of interest for patients seeking natural hair regrowth treatments. The hair loss treatment Summerville is ideal for clients frustrated with hair loss. During the consultation, the team will explain to the patient the different treatments and explore the most plausible strategies to regain hair follicles. The clinic's tailored hair loss treatment Summerville regimen is multifaceted and several before and after images of patients undergoing treatments have been published on the website to give patients a sneak peek of the protocol's restorative ability. The results of the treatment intervention will vary from one patient to the other depending on the underlying condition.
A tear or strain in the ankle can cause stinging pain in the area where the subtalar, talocrural, and inferior tibiofibular join together to facilitate motion. Before treatment, QC Kinetix (Summerville) doctors will look out for symptoms like bruising, swelling, and skin discoloration and perform physical examinations. Once the diagnosis is issued, the medical providers will administer regenerative therapies to neutralize pain and inflammation. A patient who has been reeling from ankle pain said, "I've been with these great people for about 2 years now and when I started I was having pain from my ankles to my hips and when I say it helps it really does it's so amazing how these injections gave me so much relief."
QC Kinetix (Summerville) medical providers have put their in-depth experience to practice by providing cost-effective regenerative therapies. The team can be contacted at (843) 303-9825. They operate from an advanced treatment facility located at 1565 Rose Dr Unit B, Summerville, SC, 29483. Additional resources are provided for medics and investors looking to invest in the QC Kinetic franchise.
Media Contact:
Company Name: QC Kinetix (Summerville)
Contact Person: Marc Difronzo
Phone: (843) 303-9825
Address: 1565 Rose Dr Unit B
City: Summerville
State: SC
Postal Code: 29483
Country: USA
SUMMERVILLE — There will soon be a new sculpture right outside of Saul Alexander Playground, and it’s going to be absolutely bananas.Town Council accepted the Sculpture in the South’s donation of a 350-pound, 7-foot half-peeled banana with feet reclined on a 6-foot-long bronze bench.Sculpture in the South is an organization formed in 1999 to add art to public spaces throughout Summerville.The group is in the process of fundraising to purchase the sculpture, which costs $50,000.Otis Engelman, chai...
SUMMERVILLE — There will soon be a new sculpture right outside of Saul Alexander Playground, and it’s going to be absolutely bananas.
Town Council accepted the Sculpture in the South’s donation of a 350-pound, 7-foot half-peeled banana with feet reclined on a 6-foot-long bronze bench.
Sculpture in the South is an organization formed in 1999 to add art to public spaces throughout Summerville.
The group is in the process of fundraising to purchase the sculpture, which costs $50,000.
Otis Engelman, chairman of Sculpture in the South, said every sculpture the organization has purchased to place in Summerville has been paid for by donations from Summerville residents and no town funds.
The banana sculpture will be placed between the Miracle League field and the playground, near the horseshoe. Town Council accepted the sculpture during its Jan. 12 meeting.
The banana is a work of Jack Hill, who is based out of DeLand, Fla. Dora Ann Reaves, a member of Sculpture in the South, said the banana is one of Hill’s favorite forms, adding that he has other sculptures of bananas on roller skates.
“He’s got a real interesting sense of humor,” Reaves said. “The idea that a banana could sit on a bench or roller skate is of interest to him.”
Sculpture in the South has already placed a variety of sculptures around the town, many of which are in Summerville parks. The organization helped facilitate the sculpture of the late John McKissick and his wife, Joan.
Sculpture in the South was looking to add a more whimsical piece to its collection, Amy Evans, parks and recreation director, said.
Reaves spoke for the banana at the standing committees meeting on Jan. 9, where the Parks and Recreation Committee voted unanimously to accept the donation.
Reaves said she likes the banana sculpture because it’s a more fun piece, and has a unique look.
Town Councilman Aaron Brown spoke in favor of the sculpture after Reaves gave her endorsement.
“I think it would be a good idea if we try to be more broad-based with the sculptures that we approve,” Brown said at the meeting. He then suggested getting a sculpture at Wassamassaw Community Park to represent Native Americans’ heritage.
Town Councilwoman Kima Garten-Schmidt said she believes the banana is the perfect sculpture for the park.
“It’s not supposed to be anything serious,” Garten-Schmidt said. “The kids are going to absolutely love it. They’re going to love climbing on it, getting their picture taken with it — even adults are going to love getting a selfie taken with it.”
While it was board of the Sculpture in the South’s decision to choose the banana to place in Saul Alexander Playground, Reaves said she was pleased with the choice.
“Most of our other pieces are memorials or animals,” Reaves said. “We don’t have any other bananas.”
If anyone is interested in donating or contributing to the fundraiser for the banana sculpture, email sculptureinthesouth@gmail.com.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The Town of Summerville announced the approval of the Maple Street Extension project on Monday.Years after the project was introduced in 2014, Blythe Development Company was awarded the bid to begin construction on the project, which will improve in total a mile and a half of roads throughout Summerville.The town acquired 90 pieces of property in order to make the project possible with the first of four major projects of the extension being Maple Street, which will be widened from two lanes to four to...
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The Town of Summerville announced the approval of the Maple Street Extension project on Monday.
Years after the project was introduced in 2014, Blythe Development Company was awarded the bid to begin construction on the project, which will improve in total a mile and a half of roads throughout Summerville.
The town acquired 90 pieces of property in order to make the project possible with the first of four major projects of the extension being Maple Street, which will be widened from two lanes to four to reduce traffic and improve safety in the area.
The project does not just include Maple Street, but intersection improvements at US-78 adding turn lanes on all approaches, installation of a traffic signal at West Richardson Avenue and new alignment from West Richardson to Parsons Road where it will transition from three lanes to two lanes at the Parsons Road connection.
Summerville Director of Public Works and Town Engineer Russ Cornette has been with the project since the beginning. He says he’s really happy to see the project get approved for construction.
“I think this is the largest purchase order the town of Summerville has ever approved,” Cornette says. “The towns and cities the size of Summerville don’t take on large projects like this; this is kind of a unique situation.”
The cost of the project, including construction engineering and inspection services, will be funded by the Town of Summerville’s Mid-Town Tax Increment Finance District funds up to $11 million Dorchester County Sales Tax Referendum Funds will fund the remaining cost.
“The project purpose is to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety and that whole corridor anytime you have that many cars, taking up that little space that’s there, you’re going to have accidents and we’ve seen that the past four years,” Cornette says. “That extra lanes extra capacity will help congestion and get people moving a little more freely than they are now.”
Construction on the Maple Street Extension project starts in April or May of 2023 with the goal of completion being in the spring of 2025.
“The Maple Street extension project will help alleviate traffic congestion and improve safety,” says Summerville Mayor Ricky Waring. “I am grateful for the support from our agency partners and the Dorchester County voters who supported the transportation sales tax referendum that helped fund this project.”
For further details on the Maple Street Extension project, visit project page on the Town of Summerville’s website.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
SUMMERVILLE — It’s almost 1:30 p.m., and to the white-handed gibbons, that means lunch time is nearing.In excitement, a pair of mated gibbons start making noise. The female gibbon produces a series of loud notes, starting in a low tone and gradually going higher. The male then chimes in with a higher pitch, as if he were chirping.They’re singing. The creatures sing in a duet, and the only place in the Lowcountry you would be able to hear this is at the International Primate Protection League’s gibbon san...
SUMMERVILLE — It’s almost 1:30 p.m., and to the white-handed gibbons, that means lunch time is nearing.
In excitement, a pair of mated gibbons start making noise. The female gibbon produces a series of loud notes, starting in a low tone and gradually going higher. The male then chimes in with a higher pitch, as if he were chirping.
They’re singing. The creatures sing in a duet, and the only place in the Lowcountry you would be able to hear this is at the International Primate Protection League’s gibbon sanctuary, established in 1977 by the late Shirley McGreal — just four years after she founded the IPPL.
When Pam Mendosa, chairwoman and acting CEO of the IPPL, is in Summerville, she stays in a house on IPPL property. She lives in Virginia but visits every other month, if not every month, for at least 10 days at a time. She relishes the times she is able to hear the gibbons sing.
“When I have people give me estimates or anything, I say, ‘You want to come out and meet me, and not do this over the phone?’ I really urge people to come out,” Mendosa said. “Sure enough, whether we go with the company or not, they’re so enthralled with hearing (the gibbons) singing.”
The sanctuary is a private preserve that houses 29 gibbons, as well as five short-clawed Asian otters. In the past, the sanctuary has also taken in rescue dogs.
The IPPL and gibbon sanctuary are working to continue honoring McGreal’s legacy after her passing in November 2021, just as the IPPL reaches its 50th anniversary.
McGreal was living in Thailand when she established the league in 1973.
She was concerned about how primates were being captured from the wild, transported and exploited in captivity. She founded the IPPL in order to try and protect primates around the world.
Since its founding, the IPPL has kept busy, from exposing animal smuggling rings to organizing worldwide protests to raise awareness of the mistreatment of primates in labs.
The group’s work over the years has influenced countries such as Belgium and Malaysia to establish laws banning wildlife trafficking and monkey exports. The league has been recognized by public figures like Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and McGreal herself earned awards and achievements from the United Nations and Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her work.
Now, the IPPL has partnerships with 26 animal welfare groups and sanctuaries around the world. A wildlife sanctuary in Nepal opened in 2016 and was named in honor of McGreal.
The sanctuary she established in Summerville has taken in gibbons from labs, captivity, zoos and households — as some people have had gibbons as pets.
The sanctuary is not open to visitors. It comprises several enclosures, all connected via a tube system. Each enclosure includes a ropes course and some monkey bars for the gibbons to swing around, and they all connect to their respective gibbon house — where they sleep. Mated gibbons are in the same enclosure.
After her death, McGreal left behind a tremendous legacy that the IPPL and employees at the gibbon sanctuary are working to uphold.
Employees say in terms of the sanctuary itself, not a lot has changed since McGreal’s passing. They’re working on upgrading the gibbons’ houses and the animal care kitchen to maintain the gibbons’ healthy lifestyle and ensure their safety.
“The buildings are almost 50 years old,” said Meg McCue-Jones, safety and compliance manager.
She added that the sanctuary mainly relies on donations to keep running. They apply for grants, but don’t consistently receive grant money.
McCue-Jones said the sanctuary used to receive calls from donors specifically so they could talk to McGreal. Since her passing, the donors still call, but will talk to office staff and board members.
Trish McCoy, animal care manager, started working at the sanctuary in April 2020. She said McGreal was always a good resource whenever she had any questions and wished she knew McGreal longer.
“As I’ve worked here longer, I get more and more questions. ... I miss having her around to answer some of the questions, and talking to her about some of the people that helped her get started and how she ended up doing this,” McCoy said. “I miss being able to go in and ask her for advice.”
Mendosa said she hopes for the IPPL’s spring appeal and newsletter to focus on gibbons and the sanctuary.
“Sometimes we focus on the chimps that are in Africa through two or three of our sanctuaries, because international is what really put us on the map,” Mendosa said. “But the sanctuary was so dear to Shirley’s heart.”
Mendosa said the league is still working to protect primates and honor McGreal’s legacy.
“I think it’s important that people know that while Shirley was such an integral part in so many ways — some people think IPPL is Shirley McGreal — we’re continuing, and we’re still strong,” Mendosa said. “We’re still doing good work.”
McCoy has been working with animals for most of her life, but these past two years working at the sanctuary marked the first time for her working with gibbons. She describes working with them as “obviously awesome,” and said she enjoys how each gibbon has a different personality.
“Between the 29 gibbons, no two are the same,” McCoy said.
Some like to hang out on the floor of the enclosures, while others love to swing around on the ropes and bars — never touching the ground. Some gibbons like to play catch with the caretakers and their food. Others don’t.
“Michael is very gentle, very easygoing. Maui ... you put a toy in there, you better make sure that toy cannot be pulled apart, because he will figure out a way to do it,” McCoy said. “Paen loves having stuffed animals — she’s always dragging one around. Thai could care less. He wants to know what’s in his food bucket.”
She added that some gibbons get along with each other, while others don’t; while all the enclosures are connected via a tube system, there are gates that prevent gibbons from encroaching on each other’s territory.
She gave an example: Nick and Elsa, two mated gibbons, are right next to Ziggy and Erin, another pair of mated gibbons. Nick and Ziggy get along, and they each get along with Elsa and Erin, but Elsa and Erin don’t.
“The girls throw food at each other; they like to actually take the food all the way from their enclosure to inside (their gibbon house) so they can get a closer range when they throw food,” McCoy said. “They’re not hurting anybody; they’re not hurting each other there. To a certain point, that’s a little bit of what would happen in the wild.”
McCoy said the most rewarding part for her working in animal care is when the gibbons started recognizing her as one of their caregivers.
“As an animal keeper, you’re here to take care of them. You want their lives to be better. When they start recognizing you and stop trying to scratch you, you know that you’re finally accepted,” McCoy said.
For more information or to donate to the gibbon sanctuary, go to the International Primate Protection League’s website at ippl.org.
SUMMERVILLE — After years of traffic concerns, the town is getting started on a $21 million road project to improve Maple Street.The road runs from West Richardson Avenue downtown to Nexton Parkway. The project includes widening Maple Street from two to four lanes just east of Shamrock Drive to West Richardson Avenue; adding turn lanes at all approaches to U.S. Highway 78; installing a traffic signal at West Richardson Avenue; and adding a new alignment from West Richardson to Parsons Road, where it will transition from three la...
SUMMERVILLE — After years of traffic concerns, the town is getting started on a $21 million road project to improve Maple Street.
The road runs from West Richardson Avenue downtown to Nexton Parkway. The project includes widening Maple Street from two to four lanes just east of Shamrock Drive to West Richardson Avenue; adding turn lanes at all approaches to U.S. Highway 78; installing a traffic signal at West Richardson Avenue; and adding a new alignment from West Richardson to Parsons Road, where it will transition from three lanes to two lanes at the Parsons Road connection.
Even mid-morning traffic on Maple Street is notable; it becomes easily congested due to it being a two-way street. If one car needs to turn left, several cars will be held up waiting for the vehicle to turn.
The Maple Street extension has been in the works since 2015 and is one of many road projects the Dorchester County 1 percent sales tax will fund. The tax, which voters elected to continue last year, began in 2004 and has paid for improvements to several roads such as Bacons Bridge Road, S.C. Highway 27 and Patriots Boulevard.
The town of Summerville and Dorchester County are partnering on the project.
Officials said the project will help alleviate congestion in a town beset by traffic concerns as its population has exploded in recent years.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town’s population has jumped from 27,752 in 2000 to 50,915 in 2020. The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments projects the 2030 population to exceed 97,000.
“The Maple Street Extension Project will help alleviate traffic congestion and improve safety,” Mayor Ricky Waring said. “I am grateful for the support from our agency partners and the Dorchester County voters who supported the transportation sales tax referendum that helped fund this project.”
Up to $11 million of the project — including construction and engineering/inspection — will be funded by the town’s midtown tax increment finance district funds. Dorchester County sales tax referendum funds will cover the rest, totaling the construction costs to just under $21 million and engineering costs around $1.2 million.
“This project will be one of the first opportunities the county has to utilize funds made available to us through the continuation of the Transportation Sales Tax,” Dorchester County Council Chairman Todd Friddle said. “The Maple Street Extension Project is a great example of what can be accomplished when we collaborate to improve our community, and we look forward to working together again on future projects.”
Construction will start in April or May, with the goal of completion by spring 2025.