People living and working along the rail lines that run through Fort Mill will notice a lot more train traffic in the coming weeks.
October's historic flooding in key areas across the state has disabled miles of rail lines. The main lines and several bridges between Columbia and Spartanburg have been badly damaged. As a result, Norfolk Southern Railroad is rerouting BMW shipments from the Spartanburg plant and traffic to and from the Port of Charleston through Fort Mill and Charlotte.
All the rerouting is expected to at least double the train traffic through Fort Mill. The additional trains will mean more delays for drivers. Town Councilwoman Guynn Savage said she and other town leaders are asking for everyone's patience as the potential for traffic delays increases.
"The reroute is absolutely necessary for those businesses and those areas in the Columbia and lower part of the state that were affected by the floods," she said.
Savage asked that residents plan ahead and allow for enough time to reach their destination.
Councilman Tom Adams said people in Fort Mill are fortunate if traffic delays are the worst impact they experience from South Carolina's historic flooding.
"It may cost some small inconvenience, but compared to what they're going through in Columbia I think that we're getting off pretty decent," he said.
Both Savage and Adams are running in November's election to succeed Fort Mill Mayor Danny Funderbutk, whose term expires at the end of the year.
Norfolk Southern estimated service could be impacted for up to three weeks. Most other key routes throughout the state have been restored, according to the railroad's representatives.