WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, SportsFMU and SCSU release findings of I-95 Study

FMU and SCSU release findings of I-95 Study

FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) - Francis Marion University and South Carolina State University have released the results of a human-need assessment of the residents of South Carolina's Interstate 95 Corridor.

The report, conducted by a non-profit research organization from North Carolina, identified in the study six fundamental needs in the region, recommendations for development strategies and specific projects for state, federal and private.

Combining interviews with stakeholders and experts with the area research and best practices, RTA International identified the following basic needs:

• Leadership and Local Capacity
• Regional Economic Development
• Education
• Infrastructure
• Tax and Finance
• Healthcare and Social Service Disparities

Officials note the 189-page report lays out the approaches, assumptions, processes, and parameters used by RTI. It offers decision-makers a mechanism to identify options that can better achieve core human development and sustainability goals and better understand the trade-offs in decisions about development and the environment.

The 16 counties included in the study are Dillon, Darlington, Marion, Florence, Lee, Williamsburg, Sumter, Clarendon, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Colleton, Bamberg, Hampton, Beaufort, Jasper and Marlboro.

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