Work at the Volvo plant in Berkeley County continues. There will soon be a 10 mile long rail project underway leading to Volvo.

There is more and more activity in the Pringletown community, home of the new plant. 

“I’ve lived in this area, practically all my life.” Thomas Weldon says he and his wife love the peacefulness of living in the country. (We love the “quietness and the country part of it. I don’t like the jumbled up area. I like to be out in the country and be able to put something in the yard and leave it there and know somebody’s not gonna come pick it up.”

But living next to Volvo’s property has meant a slight adjustment for them. “Coming through here, actually the roads in this area is not equipped for the big heavy trucks, and they were tearing up the road a lot.”

That problem is being addressed, with several roads already being refinished.

The state owned Palmetto Railways is going to build a 10 mile train track between Volvo’s plant and Santee Cooper’s Cross Generating station. The tracks will serve transportation needs of the new facility and other future companies. The exact location has not been announced, but it will be built fairly close to Thomas’ property. Those tracks are expected to be ready to use by 2019. 

Thomas said he hopes it’s not too noisy, but he understands the new line will help people who need it. “If it stays the way it is now, I don’t have a problem with it. But other than that, I think it’s a great thing. For people that need a job, it brings a job to the area.”

Palmetto Railways held an open house Tuesday night at the Cross Community Center.