Time running out to give feedback on I-526 extension, road improvements

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - As the public comment period is about to wrap up, Charleston County is holding its last feedback meeting with hopes of helping to narrow down potential road projects throughout the Lowcountry.

In order to fund the longtime discussed Mark Clarke Extension project, Charleston County Council is considering placing a sales tax referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot to fund a variety of transportation projects.

If approved, the $5.4 billion tax would not only cover the I-526 extension but $812 million would include potential projects.

“The county staff, our transportation department, will take all of these comments, all of that feedback, and work on a list of the projects that the county can fund using the half-cent sales tax resources that would be generated if the referendum passes in November,” Charleston County Council Vice Chairman Jenny Honeycutt says.

These projects include improvements for intersections, bike and pedestrian safety and overall traffic congestion.

The current list of proposed projects in North Charleston, West Ashley, Charleston, Johns Island, James Island and Mount Pleasant total well over what the $812 million could cover.

Therefore, the need for public input is necessary in this case.

“We’re in the middle of primary season; so I think people’s attention is diverted to a lot of different areas ways,” Honeycutt says. “But I mean, this is important. This is sort of local governance.”

Charleston County has held four public meetings to hear feedback with the last being on Monday.

Some longtime residents, including Rich Thomas, have concerns about another referendum passing after how the money has been allocated in the past.

“The last referendum in 2016 had a number of projects listed on Johns Island. Other projects on John’s Island are still in the works; supposedly, we don’t really know what the status of those are,” Thomas says. “We don’t know what Johns Island might get.”

Throughout the feedback process, the county has received 95 responses from the public with 93 being online and two written. Turnout at the meetings have included:

• Johns Island: Around 100
• West Ashley: Around 50
• James Island: Around 75
• Mount Pleasant: Around 50

“With the projects other than 526, the listed projects account for way much more cost than what would be allocated in this new referendum,” Thomas says. “That’s a concern as well, we don’t really know what the money would be spent for aside from the 526 extension.”

For the Mark Clarke Extension project to continue, the referendum needs to pass.

Back in December, the South Carolina Joint Bond Review Committee approved preliminary costs in the Mark Clark Extension Project. But the county’s approach for total project funding appears to be dependent on approval of the referendum.

The other portion of the referendum funds would be $650 million to the Annual Allocation Program (a bike and pedestrian initiative), $648 million to CARTA/BRT operations, $749 million to debt service and interest and $432 million to the Greenbelt Program.

“The other thing I really want people to know about this referendum is that it contains a lot more than just the road improvement projects,” Honeycutt says. “There’s transit, in which operations have to continue to be funded. So without this, there’ll be a huge void there.”

Public comments are accepted by the county until March 6. The last meeting is Monday at North Charleston City Hall from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.