Residents view 17 possible ways of extending I-526By Edward C. Fennell (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Friday, November 14, 2008
Opinions about extending the Mark Clark Expressway appeared to be as varied as the many possible routes shown Thursday to the public. 
The Post and Courier Transportation officials released a map on Thursday showing 17 route possibilities, two of which cross only the marshes of Johns Island. View a map of I-526 extension that includes all 17 variations. (PDF) Maps displayed at a public hearing at Fort Johnson Middle School showed 17 variations. All but one of the routes begin where Interstate 526 currently meets Savannah Highway and cross the Stono River to Johns Island. Most proposals have the highway intersect with one or more Johns Island roads before spanning the Stono a second time and running just north of, or just inside, the northern boundary of James Island County Park. Most join Folly Road where it meets the west end of the James Island connector, but three possible routes swing south of the park. One of the routes joins Folly Road closer to Fort Johnson Road. Two alternates would cross only marsh at the northeast end of Johns Island, without intersecting with any of Johns Island's roads. The State Infrastructure Bank has agreed to fund the $420 million I-526 extension project and has awarded Charleston County $99 million. Some of the scores of people who turned out to see the maps and talk informally with Transportation Department officials expressed opinions for and against the project and concerning alternate routes and alternate solutions to highway congestion. Extending I-526 is absolutely essential, said Lewis Dean Monk of James Island. A superintendent for a home-building firm, he insisted his support for the project has nothing to do with developing Johns Island. He said that will take place with or without the interstate. "Johns Island is a vulnerable spot, and there are just two ways on and two off. Imagine the catastrophe of a hurricane evacuation," he said. If you goTWO MORE HEARINGS: Tuesday at West Ashley High School and Thursday at St. Johns High School. Both will run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. MORE INFO: To get more information, or to submit comments: Go to scdot.org/I526/, or call 1-888-623-4526. Comments can be submitted through Jan. 9. Alex Dadok of the Coastal Conservation League manned a table, passed out literature opposing the extension and distributed "Fix Our Roads First" stickers. Marion Niemi of West Ashley agreed with Dadok, and said all the proposed routes will destroy natural habitats. "There are many alternatives to what is being built," she said. In literature handed out at the hearing, transportation officials said they are in the process of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement. Possible alternatives to adding to I-526 are still under consideration. "The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of the regional transportation system, improve safety and enhance mobility in West Ashley, Johns Island and James Island areas in an environmentally sensitive manner," the literature states. Previous storyPleas submitted against I-526 extension; Conservation league, park commission express concerns, published 05/02/08 Along with the extension, DOT said it is considering not building it; alternative routes for it; improving existing roads instead, handling highway problems through better transportation management, including High Occupancy Vehicle lanes and synchronized signals; and reducing congestion via land-use plans. Tom Fullmore, a longtime critic of the extension, said his James Island property would be crossed by, or would abut, I-526 routes that swing north of the county park. If it has to be built, the original 1972 proposed route should be chosen, he said. He added that by offering so many alternatives, highway officials "pit everyone against each other and they (DOT) get the result they want." Jack Parker of West Ashley said that instead of extending I-526, officials should take better care of its existing roads. "This is really not needed, and they will end up with nobody wanting to live here," he said. |
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Comments
This article has 21 comment(s)
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Posted by YankeeLady on November 14, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All of the options for extending I-526 either directly impact existing neighborhoods, the JI County Park, the one large remaining green area, the Dill Tract further down on Riverland Drive, as well as the James Island Creek. All of them create another, and unnecessary, crossing of the Stono River, ruining the environment with a visual eyesore, noise pollution, decreased property values. James Island receives no direct benefit; why are we again sacrificed so that developers can have better access to John's Island and West Ashley? Along with other residents in the path of this behemoth, I don't look forward to living under an overpass. Does the County plan on compensating us for the loss of our quality of life and home values? It is imperative that the alternatives proposed by The New Way to Work receive the utmost consideration. Improvement of existing roads and traffic flow must take precedence. The argument for hurricane evacuation is moot; no matter what you build, the existing congestion will continue to be prohibitive. NO BUILD is the best solution. The lesser evil is to utilize existing bridges to minimize environmental and community impact.
Posted by charlestonian on November 14, 2008 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Build it, it's the only solution to the traffic problems of Johns and James island.
A Johns Islander..
Posted by zekemire on November 14, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The only logical route(s) are alignments 3 and 4, the most direct routes to complete the Mark Clark! My main concern is that the ifrastructure bank is willing to commit $400+ million to complete this project, including use of very ineffective HOV lanes, when the needs of the I95 and I26 roadways throughout the state are ignored! I26 and I95 must be expanded to 6 or 8 lanes border to border with lane travel limits on trucks, and, on motorist traveling less than the speed limit! If we do not do this you will only see drastic increases in the horrible wrecks now occurring on I26 from Charleston to Columbia! When you travel on an Interstate with a 70 mph limit, even though they were designed for an 85 mph limit, and you can only drive at 60 mph from Columbia to Orangeburg, it is time to expand the roadway and limit trucker's lane use, enforce travel lanes on slower drivers and severely fine those not in the far right lane when no traffic is in that lane!
Posted by charlestonian on November 14, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Alignments 3 and 4 do not include Johns Island, so those wouldn't work. Unless there building some interchange out thru the marsh, but even with that it's to far on the north end of the island.
Posted by Tides on November 14, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Developers, realtors, construction companys ... all will say anything (even lie) to get this built. There is profit in store for them. They don't care about anything else except profit. Anything else they say about the good for the community is a red herring.
How many homes must be destroyed? All the traffic that will come. More parking lots created on the interstate. Face reality people of Charleston. These supporters of the extension just think in terms of money - always. Don't let them blow smoke in your face. Don't trust them one bit. They will out right lie to win.
Posted by Tides on November 14, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Who every said it will give relief to traffic is only thinking short term. My my the short sights of the many.
How many of these people hire ILLEGAL MEXICANS under the table?
Posted by charlestonian on November 14, 2008 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And who was it that made statements that fixing the potholes in our roads and creating more interconnected roads on the Island will fix our traffic problems with getting on and off the island? The ones who are saying the interstate will not work, so I really can't give much credence to what they say.
Posted by iceman1978 on November 14, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have very mixed feelings about this. On one hand, extending the Mark Clark would make it easier for people in W Ashley, James Island and John's Island to commute into downtown or N Charleston. People on John's Island would also be able to reach the downtown medical centers quicker. But it would also bring more development to John's Island.
My proposal would be that we extend the Mark Clark to link with the James Island connector, allow for only one interchange on John's Island, but make all of this contingent on there being a moratorium on further development for James Island, John's and Wadmalaw Islands.
Posted by pullmyfinger on November 14, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Developers, realtors, construction companys have nothing to do with with Charleston wanting the I-526 to be finished. Quit using the Greed factor in your case against completing it. I have lived here for 50 years and I am tired of the bottle neck traffic we have now. This is really the only workable solution. And dont give me "we can build more secondary roadways" Thats only making things worse.And it would never help. John Island can save the sprawl effect by changing the zones that they are allowed to build new homes. Lets do that and still finish the loop we started.
Posted by eatmorecollards on November 14, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't wait till they get that section built from Folly Rd. to Johns Island. The rush hour traffic on Central Park Rd. and Riverland Dr. is getting unbearable.
Posted by mkris on November 14, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Developers, realtors, construction companys have everything to do with with Charleston wanting the I-526 to be finished. Uncle Joe wants to farm John's island for more tax revenue to support downtown Charleston and the developers and ol' grandma's heirs want to sell off the family silver for a buck.
Posted by Rggr on November 14, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Johns Island is going to be developed whether this is done or not. People are moving in large numbers to hte area. Do you want to be able to handle the traffic or not?
Posted by PalmettoDP on November 14, 2008 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with icemann and also have mixed feelings about the extension, but at the end of the day I believe it should be completed.
With proper development restictions for Johns Island, the extenstion would be a big help in providing an alternative route for Savannah Highway.
We already have traffic signal coordination in Charleston. It works well, but there's an upper limit to how much congestion the system can relieve.
Posted by eatmorecollards on November 14, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its a no-brainer. Pick the one with the most convenience for the least amount of cost and do it.
Posted by charlestonian on November 14, 2008 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's odd why all these groups that are putting some much time and money into preventing these roads which will supposedly cause an explosion growth, do not put there time and effort into an easier less controversial project. The most sensible thing for these groups to be fighting for is better zoning on the islands. I'm sure you wouldn't get as much opposition from the residents if you proposed upping the minimum lot size. That surely would put a stop to all these crowded big developments.
Posted by LEYH on November 14, 2008 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CITY OF CHARLESTON
PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19, 2008
A meeting of the City of Charleston Planning Commission will be held at 5:00 p.m., on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 in the Meeting Room, Third Floor at 75 Calhoun Street (Charleston County School District Building). The following applications will be considered:
REZONINGS
1. 505 Folly Road (James Island) TMS# 424-09-00-032 – approximately 0.28 acres. Request rezoning from Single Family Residential (SR-1) to Residential Office (RO).
Owner: Nena Chakeris, Successor & Trustee of T. John Chakeris
Applicant: Taso Chakeris
2. Cane Slash Road (The Retreat at Cane Slash – Johns Island) TMS# 345-00-00-007 & 023 – 30.26 acres. Request rezoning from Single Family Residential (SR-1) to Planned Unit Development (PUD).
Owner: William Burns
Applicant: HLA, Inc. – David Lycke
3. St. Johns Woods Parkway (The Villages, Phase V - Johns Island) TMS# 279-00-00-143 – 40.1 acres. Request rezoning from Single Family Residential (SR-1) to Planned Unit Development (PUD).
Owner: Pearlstine Real Estate Investment Co., LLC
Applicant: HLA, Inc. – David Lycke
SUBDIVISIONS
CONCEPT PLANS/PRELIMINARY PLATS
1. Maybank Highway (Maybank Village – Johns Island) TMS# 313-00-00-054; 055, 056, 057, 249, 279 & 283 – 67.379 acres. Request subdivision concept plan approval. Zoned General Business (GB) and Light Industrial (LI).
Owner: JI Development Venture LLC/JPW Holdings LLC – Philip Woolcott
Applicant: HLA, Inc. – Amy Chico
This is why we can't get around the islands anymore. Sure there are a lot of people who want to move to the Charleston area. If there is no housing available, they can't come. They need to just visit and go home. GREED
Posted by charlestonian on November 14, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And will any of these sea island groups for CCL be at that meeting fighting it? I doubt it, the only thing they seem to care about is 526.
Posted by YankeeLady on November 14, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Those who want a quick trip to John's Island and beyond are forgetting the obvious - those of us who LIVE on James Island get to live with this monstrosity, and have our housing values even further demolished. We get NO relief as you all cruise past our hovels. It's NOT just a matter of the quickest and cheapest; it's a matter of not destroying our environment and neighborhoods. John's Islanders don't want their quality of life ruined, and neither do we. There are other alternatives other than building an ineffective, detrimental roadway.
Posted by Tides on November 14, 2008 at 5:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
50 years and you are still an idiot?
Some people just never learn anything. History and common sense say it all. Maybe they try growing a brain?
Posted by beespencer on November 15, 2008 at 12:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How about building the the extension, but limit the interchange and resolve zoning issues on John's Island. There will always be traffic on the island and will continue to get worse unless the residents come together with a zoning plan for the island. You can complain about Joe Riley all you want, but someone has to sell the properties to the developers. Having 526 thru John's Island may actually save your life one day.
Posted by Islanderbychoice on November 18, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Route #9 makes the most sense to me of the proposed routes but why not make the connection over HQ island? I'm not an expert but I would think that both intersections at the entry of either James or Johns Island will be congested and take away from the surroundings.