Panel to consider Johns Island toll roadBy David Slade (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Post and Courier Additional storiesPublic survey on toll road reveals split views Charleston County Council agenda packet Cities battle sprawl by filling in the holes, published 10/16/08 A controversial proposal to build a four-lane toll road across part of Johns Island will be considered this afternoon by a Charleston County Council committee. Councilman Paul Thurmond has proposed a resolution that would ask the state Department of Transportation to seek proposals for construction of the Sea Islands Parkway. "It pretty much puts the ball in SCDOT's hands, and says look, we want to get going with this," Thurmond said. Supporters of the parkway say it would reduce the traffic problems on Johns Island's network of scenic two-lane roads, and would not contribute to the development of the island. "Right now, Bohicket and Main and Maybank are already overcrowded, and River is a dangerous road, and it's overcrowded," said Paul Roberts, chairman of the Kiawah Island Community Association. Roberts was the founding director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and said traffic studies show that the need for the parkway is clear. Opponents say that running a four-lane road across the island would harm it's rural character and cause an explosion of new subdivisions. "It's all about Kiawah and Seabrook, and any damage done to Johns Island is immaterial to these people," said William Saunders, co-founder of Concerned Citizens of the Sea Islands. Saunders said he's amazed that County Council is preparing to vote when the exact route and cost of the parkway have not been determined. "This has been around for a long time," Thurmond said. "It's time to make a decision." The parkway was first proposed in 1995 as a toll road that would start in West Ashley at the end of the Mark Clark Expressway, run to Johns Island at the Stono River end of Maybank Highway, then cut across the island between Bohicket and River roads to the Betsy Kerrison Parkway leading to Kiawah and Seabrook. At the time the road was projected to cost $140 million, and the idea was that a private company would build it and then collect a $2 toll. The state Transportation Commission killed the plan in 1996, after thousands of Johns Island residents objected to the parkway. In the years that followed the state moved forward on its own with plans to extend the Mark Clark to Johns and James islands, and last year the parkway concept was revived by supporters on Kiawah and Seabrook. The hope is that a private company would take on the cost of building it in exchange for the right to collect tolls. Land would be required for such a road, however, and the government would likely have to play a role there. Thurmond and Roberts said the parkway would have limited access, to discourage development around the road. Between the two ends of the parkway, there might only be access at Plowground and Edenvale roads. "There's no reason this road can't be rural on the left and rural on the right, and still get people where they need to go," Thurmond said. "What I think is so interesting is that the (Coastal Conservation) league is opposed to this, but we think this is a way to keep Johns Island rural." The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m. in the Lonnie Hamilton III Public Services Building, 4045 Bridge View Dr., North Charleston. Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 12 comment(s)
Posted by captivated on October 16, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The Kiawah Island expressway is a waste of time, energy and money. This dog won't hunt.
Posted by 843allday on October 16, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's all about Kiawah and Seabrook, and most of those people don't care about Johns Island....Tear it up, they have no ties here, they'll move on and destroy the next place.
Posted by sweetsouthernpearl on October 16, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yep, and because they're "from off" they think they are better, smarter and know more than the people who were born and raised in the Lowcountry.
Posted by LEYH on October 16, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can't consider an area rural with a big honkin' toll road running through it! If you want to live out on Kiawah or Seabrook, fine, but you can't destroy our island for your convenience. You can't destroy our trees and natural area for your toll road, you can't destroy our rural atmosphere with your noisy toll road and you can't house your "undesirable" labor force here and bus them in every day.
Johns Islanders said no to this before and we still say no. Nothing has changed!
Posted by Southern_Cousin on October 16, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thousands of John's Islands residents STILL object to this plan. Period. And we have long memories, Mr. Thurmond.
A special road does not need to be built for the golf tournament. All that Kiawah Republican money is so seductive, isn't it, Mr Thurmond ? You and Henry Brown will do just about anything to "hep them", won'tcha?
FIX OUR ROADS FIRST !!!
There is little wrong with Bohicket and River Roads that additional police patrols would not solve. Studies show drunk drivers, speeders and aggressive, inconsiderate drivers cause 90% of the problems. I travel the roads frequently and from my observation, both roads are in pretty good condition, although repairs and improvements are needed in a few areas.
FIX OUR ROADS FIRST !!!
The majority of the people of Johns Island don't want this road. The residents of Kiawah all understood the limitations of the route to Kiawah when they decided to purchase property there. A golf tournament is not a good enough reason to destroy more of the island (and usurp people's land in the process).
FIX OUR ROADS FIRST !!!
Posted by eatmorecollards on October 16, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Finish the Mark Clark and then talk about the toll road.
Posted by bookworm on October 16, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Eatmorecollards - I concur! :)
Posted by mkris on October 16, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by Southern_Cousin on October 16, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thousands of John's Islands residents STILL object to this plan. Period. And we have long memories, Mr. Thurmond.
A special road does not need to be built for the golf tournament. All that Kiawah Republican money is so seductive, isn't it, Mr Thurmond ? You and Henry Brown will do just about anything to "hep them", won'tcha?
FIX OUR ROADS FIRST !!!
There is little wrong with Bohicket and River Roads that additional police patrols would not solve. Studies show drunk drivers, speeders and aggressive, inconsiderate drivers cause 90% of the problems. I travel the roads frequently and from my observation, both roads are in pretty good condition, although repairs and improvements are needed in a few areas.
FIX OUR ROADS FIRST !!!
The majority of the people of Johns Island don't want this road. The residents of Kiawah all understood the limitations of the route to Kiawah when they decided to purchase property there. A golf tournament is not a good enough reason to destroy more of the island (and usurp people's land in the process).
FIX OUR ROADS FIRST !!!
FINALLY A SOUTHERN BOY THAT WON'T SELL THE FAMILY FARM AND FAMILY SILVER FOR A DOLLAR! Kiawah Toll road is just PAUL THURMOND's form of socialism for the big house and screw the plantation slaves of John's Island.
Posted by Slick50 on October 16, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The good people of Johns Island have said they did NOT want a toll road, but Councilman Paul Thurmond believes he knows what is best for the island. I also have no doubt that he knows of a private company that would take on the cost of building the toll road in exchange for the right to collect tolls.
With a state wide budget shortfall, rising unemployment, and uncertainty about the larger financial picture; do you really think this is a good time to ask residents to fork over cash for a toll road?
Posted by mbookworm on October 16, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just curious on how they are suppose to "FIX OUR ROADS FIRST"... the roads leading to Kiawah and Seabrook are death traps (especially Bohicket)... you don't want to cut down the oaks so what's the solution...
My husband drives down Bohicket everyday to go to work on Kiawah(as a blue collar worker) and I worry everytime I hear a siren heading down that way
I've seen cars/trucks pass FIVE CARS at a time... how dangerous is that? It's not just the rich folks wanting to get to their homes faster... it's the everyday man trying to haul ass to work...
I'm all for some new road... toll or not... just something to help the roads that are over crowded...
Posted by 843allday on October 16, 2008 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"the roads leading to Kiawah and Seabrook are death traps (especially Bohicket)... you don't want to cut down the oaks so what's the solution..."
The solution is easy....Slow down and GET OFF THE PHONE...Rich or blue collar!
Posted by mbookworm on October 16, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
843allday... I agree, but how do you inforce that? We need a real solution
Also, how many jobs do Kiawah and Seabrook provide the residents of Johns Island? We need the roads as much or more than they do. Progress is going to happen... is happening right now... Ya can't fight that forever