Calls, emails push I-526

Proponents of building Interstate 526 over Johns and James islands have ramped up their efforts with emails from an anonymous source, a new website and phone calls to gauge public opinion on the issue.

"It was just sort of weird," said Susan Milliken, who said she received a call about I-526 at her James Island home.

Milliken said the caller sounded professional but she couldn't remember the name of the group he represented. He told her the survey was about Charleston County.

She was surprised by the first question, which she considered biased and tricky.

"You do support the completion of I-526, right?"

She responded, "No, I absolutely do not."

The caller thanked her and hung up.

Emails from a person who calls himself "Joseph" have been sent to public officials, the press and others on behalf of the Lowcountry Expressway

Foundation, which has a website that advocates completing I-526. There is no such foundation listed with the South Carolina Secretary of State. The foundation website says it is nonprofit in nature but fine print at the bottom of one page says it is currently not designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group.

So far, Joseph has not responded to email queries asking for an interview.

"I think it's some political operative that someone has hired to do this. We can't find anything about this organization," said Thomas Legare of Johns Island.

On Tuesday, Joseph sent an email to dozens of people, including Charleston County Council members, in support of I-526. He sent the same email to a reporter at The Post and Courier on May 15.

"After having talked with many other people in the community recently about this, I have since attempted to develop a website to promote the completion of Interstate 526 before it is truly too late," he wrote.

While Joseph remains reclusive, people who created two websites opposed to completion of I-526 talk openly about their concerns.

"A lot of my neighbors and friends were really worried that I-526 could be completed and that James Island would just be an expressway," said Toni Reale, who said she lives on the island and created the Nix 526 website. It describes I-526 as a colossal waste of money that will do irreparable harm to the islands.

Reale said she created the website to let people know about public hearings regarding the expressway. The future of James Island County Park in relation to the expressway is a particular concern, she said.

Legare is a co-founder of Concerned Citizens of the Sea Islands, which also opposes completion of I-526 at its website.

"We are absolutely opposed to it, 125 percent," Legare said.

Charleston County Council faces a decision on the future of the seven-mile, $489 million expressway from Savannah Highway to Folly Road.

After voting not to build the road, council rescinded that action on May 17 by a margin of 5-4. Council members Colleen Condon, Dickie Schweers, Joe Qualey and Herb Sass cast the dissenting votes.

At issue is the county being in default on an $11.6 million loan from the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank because of its vote to not build the highway. The bank told the county it wanted the money back because it was loaned for a project that was on hold. The funds were spent on right-of-way acquisition, environmental studies and engineering.

County Council Chairman Teddie Pryor said a majority of council wants to get out of default on the loan and negotiate a better contract for the expressway with the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the bank.

Pryor said that he is not swayed by the cyberspace campaigns.

"It's more like an infomercial. I just go strictly by the facts," he said.

The SCDOT, which manages the project for the county, received comments from 1,657 people about the proposed highway. About 62 percent opposed the project and 32 percent favored it. Some 6 percent had questions or suggestions about it.

Opponents cited resulting traffic congestion, development, environmental harm and devalued property. Proponents said the project will help to alleviate traffic, make roads safer, reduce travel times and aid in hurricane evacuation.