Public survey on toll road reveals split viewsBy Diane Knich (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, August 31, 2008
The Post and Courier Previous storiesToll roads a tough sell in Palmetto State, published 06/22/08 Toll road foes, fans speak out, published 06/20/08 Council hears toll road dissent, published 06/13/08 Hearing planned on Johns Island toll road, published 05/20/08 The idea of building a toll road across Johns Island still fires up controversy despite the results of a public survey designed to bring some clarity to a contentious proposal. Charleston County officials have posted on the county's Web site a summary of 1,274 comments they received about the proposed road known as the Sea Islands Parkway. Not surprisingly, the results indicate that the vast majority of Kiawah and Seabrook islands residents who responded support building the road. The county received 395 responses from people who live on those islands, and 367 were in favor of building the parkway. Most supporters said the toll road would pull traffic off Johns Island's other roads, making them safer. But results from 330 Johns Island residents were surprising. Exactly half, or 165 residents, were opposed to the toll road and 165 said they were in favor of building it. According to the 2000 U.S. census, about 2,400 people live on Kiawah and Seabrook islands and about 11,500 people live on Johns Island. At a public meeting at St. Johns High School on Johns Island in June, at least two-thirds of the standing-room-only crowd of more than 500 people was against building the road. People opposed said the new parkway would encourage more development, bring more traffic and ruin the rural character of Johns Island. Although the actual route of the parkway hasn't been determined, it would begin at Maybank Highway near James Island and would stretch across Johns Island, ending near the Betsy Kerrison Parkway. Charleston County Councilman Paul Thurmond, whose district includes Kiawah and Seabrook islands, said he strongly supports building the parkway. He also said he found the percentage of people from Johns Island who indicated they supported building the parkway encouraging. Only "a very vocal minority" of Johns Island residents are opposed to the road, he said. "Johns Island's growth is going to be tremendous," Thurmond said. "Why do we have to be reactive rather than proactive?" Councilman Curtis Inabinett, whose district includes Johns Island, said he "supports the concept" of a toll road. But he has concerns about the route of the proposed parkway and how many properties it will affect. He's also concerned that people who work on Kiawah and Seabrook islands might have problems affording the tolls. But, he said, "the traffic situation on Johns Island is going to get worse. We've got to do something different." Thurmond said he plans to ask fellow council members in the next several weeks to approve a resolution asking the South Carolina Department of Transportation to start discussing the idea with private companies that build roads. Councilwoman Colleen Condon, who represents West Ashley, said she's not going to support the toll road. The road mainly would benefit people on Kiawah and Seabrook islands, she said. And, "we need to help everybody, not just the wealthy." Charleston County needs roads that are "culturally sensitive and open to everyone," Condon added. "Toll roads are not part of the solution for Charleston County anywhere," she said. "It's really that simple to me." Condon said she thinks most people who live on Johns Island are opposed to the parkway, even if they didn't make their opinions known to the county by completing a public comment form. Bill Saunders, a native of Johns Island and co-founder of Concerned Citizens of the Sea Islands, said he's not surprised more island residents didn't complete comment forms. A lot of people are struggling with other things in life and completing a form about a road isn't a priority for them, he said. And many people don't have computers so they can't complete a form online, he said. People on Johns Island are part of a culture that, for many years, simply wanted to be left alone, he said. The best way for people to be free, he said, was for them to remain uninvolved. But on Johns and Wadmalaw islands, "people are opposed to this," Saunders said. Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 14 comment(s)
Posted by watchdog on August 31, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Send them to I-95 and turn left? What do you mean ? Johnq2 sounds like an idiot. What problem would be solved? Please respond.John you speak in tongues.
Posted by mkris on August 31, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
RE: Charleston County Councilman Paul Thurmond, whose district includes Kiawah and Seabrook islands, said he strongly supports building the parkway.
Oh my another republican vying for a little public corrpution at the expense of the average John's islander.
Im sooooooo shocked. COme on Paul pave over the islands.... make some real money.
Posted by watchdog on August 31, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Remember Johnq2, The people that do not live here, are the same people not making the political decisions. Also where do you get your numbers from,99%?
They are not building the Berlin Wall. Look within, and while your at it, fill that gas tank and head out of town.
Posted by watchdog on August 31, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Attack your local leaders, if you want to change things for the better.....
Posted by watchdog on August 31, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not surprisingly, the results indicate that the vast majority of Kiawah and Seabrook islands residents who responded support building the road. The county received 395 responses from people who live on those islands, and 367 were in favor of building the parkway.
Most supporters said the toll road would pull traffic off Johns Island's other roads, making them safer.
But results from 330 Johns Island residents were surprising. Exactly half, or 165 residents, were opposed to the toll road and 165 said they were in favor of building it. Looks like 50% of the residents that were surveyed on the Island voted in favor. Again, where did you come up with %99????? Scare tactic math....
Posted by mkris on August 31, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not really, Paul Thurmond and Henry Brown are the real Kiawah and Seabrook lapdogs. The money's there and the two of them are sniffing around.
Posted by crankyyankee on August 31, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A good percentage of homes on the islands aren't inhabited full time, pay tremendous taxes and they are just about built out. If the locals didn't breed like rats they wouldn't need to expand the island infrastructure. You can't travel a mile down the road without seeing one of those inane "Native" stickers. Keep it in your knickers Bubba cuz you is the problem! You can't double the population every ten years and expect no growth, unless you're an idiot. Oh yeah this is South Carolina, what was I thinking? I'm all for completing 526 and not putting an access road onto or off of John's Island and watching the hand wring and crying when they are told to pay for it themselves!
Posted by jbr1039 on August 31, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is what should be done. Build the bloody thing, but make a check point at the entrance on James Island where everyone has to show a pass that will allow them onto Kiawah or Seabrook. This way there will be no doubt in anyone's mind that ALL the people using this road are Kiawah/Seabrook, so <i>they</i> should pick up the tab. By the same reasoning, if you work on Kiawah or Seabrook, the communities should pony up and issue you toll waivers. What's more, when these folks come off the island, they can be stopped and asked what their business is in Charleston, and then be required to pay a reverse toll. That should do it.
Posted by eatmorecollards on August 31, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The rich didn't get rich by being stupid. Does anyone really think they will pay to save 5 minutes drive time? Theres a alternative reason someone wants this thing built.
Posted by mkris on August 31, 2008 at 6:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Paul and Henry are sniffing around Kiawah for the money they can get in contributions. Its a republican thing, kinda like bitches in heat.
Posted by sweetsouthernpearl on August 31, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
eatmorecollards,
AMEN! You're the only one making any sense here.
At the expense of getting flamed, I A)am a product of the SC school systems and B) I live on Seabrook Island C) I will not pay to use a toll road D)the primary population growth is due to those "from off" E) I'm married to one of those "from off".
It's time to stop pointing fingers at each other just because you are from different parts of the country. Personal attacks serve no purpose. Take the politicians to task who create these messes and vote them out of office!
Posted by zekemire on September 1, 2008 at 1:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NO TOLL ROADS!!!!
Posted by jbr1039 on September 1, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In all seriousness, anyone who has gone out to Kiawah or Seabrook can't honestly say that Bohicket or River Roads are an adequate and safe way to travel. Those roads, especially at night, scare me.
Like it or not, Kiawah and Seabrook are major attractions to this area from all over the world. With whatever PGA tournament they are running on Kiawah in 2012, there will easily be another 50,000 people going out there and putting $$$ in pockets all over this city.
It doesn't matter how much one complains, these resorts are there to stay. Period. To ignore the needs, or dismiss the residents as "Yankees" or whatever, is provincial and ultimately self-defeating.
Charleston is the jewel of the south, and our charm and graciousness is known the world over. It's time we live up to that reputation and start acting proactively rather that reactively to the reality of our situation: We are a tourist attraction. Tourists come here to enjoy the beauty of the Lowcountry. We have to shake the cobwebs of the past off of ourselves and look to the future. A single road with limited access across John's Island will not wreck the community. If it goes across primarily unused land, it will free up River and Bohicket roads from the island traffic, which means less cars and less trucks screaming down those 18th Century farmer's roads. What's more: when visitors to the islands are not confronted by nightmare roads to and from the rest of the city, they will be much more likely to come "into town" and spend their money accordingly.
Let's step into the 21st century with vim and vigor, not with the cantankerousness of an old man awoken from his afternoon nap.
Posted by PalmettoDP on September 2, 2008 at 1:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This road, if it is built, will be funded and operated by a concessionaire. This is the best way to finance new road construction, in my opinion, and I'm glad the county is suggesting it.
Good land use planning should go hand-in-hand with the construction of this road (if it is built).