Council OKs Glenn McConnell extensionCity also plans to complete Bees Ferry Circle at intersection with parkway By David Slade (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Friday, July 18, 2008
Charleston has taken the next step toward extending the Glenn McConnell Parkway and completing the Bees Ferry Circle, a pair of West Ashley road projects that will pave the way for new developments. Charleston City Council gave preliminary approval to a bond issue Tuesday that would raise $1.7 million to pay for the land needed for the road work. The city's plan is to complete the Bees Ferry Circle, where Bees Ferry Road intersects with the parkway, and then see the Glenn McConnell Parkway extended as far as the planned Long Savannah development and the adjoining extension of Village Green. The two developments are being planned jointly and will cover more than 1,500 acres. In addition to thousands of new homes, they would have a large commercial center and government facilities, such as schools and fire stations, and would be surrounded by nearly 1,800 acres of new city and county parks. Development agreements already in place call for the Long Savannah developers to pay roughly $8 million toward building the planned two-lane extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway and contribute an additional $1,000 toward traffic improvements for each home built. The developers will reimburse the city for right-of-way acquisition for the extension of the parkway. The agreements call for the city to bear the cost of completing Bees Ferry Circle. A design plan for the circle was completed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation in 2002. The city has long planned for the circle to be a center of new commercial and residential development, but for now it's mostly known as the location of a Wal-Mart. Mayor Joe Riley told City Council on Tuesday that the $1.7 million the city plans to borrow represents only the amount of money needed to buy the right of way for the road projects. "My understanding is, that is our appraisal of the value of land to be acquired," he said. Riley said offers already have been submitted to land owners, but that the city would have to consider condemnation if those offers are not accepted. "Once the certainty of the right of way is there, we can proceed to the next step," city Corporation Counsel Charlton deSaussure said Thursday. Reach David Slade at dslade@postandcourier.com or 937-5552. |
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Comments
This article has 7 comment(s)
Posted by icbmman on July 18, 2008 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The extension is fine...but this road will need to become another expressway after Long Savannah, going in an easterly direction toward Walterboro and I-95 in order to have another adequate hurricane evacuation route. I really wish city planners would consider this idea and drop the plans for extending the parkway towards I-26.
Are there any plans for widening the expressway? It should be 8 lanes all the way to the Mark Clark. As part of the widening, all utilities should be buried, sidewalks should be added, and light posts should be placed. It's pretty sad and unsafe that this main road is DARK at night.
Posted by DoaMM on July 18, 2008 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
icbmman, don't you understand? The idea of local government is to get people to move into the area so they can start paying taxes, hence the roads will be improved so "new developments" can be built. The government doesn't have to think about people leaving an area (even in an emergency) because "people leaving" means lost revenue for the local government.
I can here them saying, "Street lights take money and hurricanes only come around ever-so-often. We'll deal with it when it happens."
Destination: Procrastination. I agree with you, but unfortunately it's all about money in pockets.
Posted by rockytopron on July 18, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I couldn't agree more with the two previous comments. Our city government is a joke and the leader is the worst joke of all. Its time we get people with vision for the city instead of greedy politicians in our offices.
Posted by icbmman on July 18, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DoaMM, indeed, it's about QUICK money in pockets. All very good points; the city's logic is so convoluted and warped. I have no problem with the parkway being extended to Long Savannah, and I have no problem with developments being built in the area (except right around the plantations). However, if they actually spent the money on widening the parkway, burying utlity lines, lighting it, and extending it to I-95, they will in fact create another gateway (and a far more attractive one) into the city from I-95, which will bring in people to live and work as well!
In fact, if the parkway was extended to Walterboro (or even as far as Augusta for the planned I-14) as a limited access expressway or interstate, development could be logically controlled, yet more tourists could come in and bring the city more revenue. Shortsightedness seems to be a prerequisite for a government job, nowadays.
Posted by icbmman on July 18, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, I just looked at the Long Savannah plans on their website. I must say, the stupidity level on these plans has reached absurd levels.
They only extend Glenn McConnell up to Long Savannah, AND HAVE THE ROAD TERMINATE THERE WITH NO POSSIBILITY FOR A FURTHER EXTENSION!!! Next, they're only going to extend it as a TWO-LANE ROAD!!! Unbelieveable. I officially do not like this development now...not because they're building more houses, but because they're not providing ANY valuable long-term solutions for growth, transportation, and safety. I'd love to see how the residents here would be able to evacuate from a hurricane or other impending natural disaster!
Posted by BillytheKid on July 19, 2008 at 3:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Where do I sign the petition that will allow us to recall elected officials?
Posted by BillytheKid on July 19, 2008 at 3:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am sorry, I also wanted to add that before you can have anything named after you, you should be expired.