Charleston County News Release

MEDIA CONTACT

Name:   Jennie Davis Flinn, Charleston County Public Information Officer

Phone: (843) 958-4012

Email:   jflinn@charlestoncounty.org

Release Number: 3065

Date: November 25, 2009

See project’s Web page: http://www.ccroadwise.org/sea_islands_greenway.html

Johns Island Workshop on Dec. 7 for Sea Islands Greenway

            Workshop aimed to gather public input on a potential greenway across Johns Island

Charleston County Government announces a public workshop to gather input on a Sea Islands Greenway for Johns Island.

The workshop will be held on Monday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the Johns Island Regional Library (3531 Maybank Highway). The workshop will include a presentation by County staff and consultants that will be given at the following times: 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The public may drop in, comment and give input at any time throughout the day.

The idea of the greenway is being offered as a potential alternative to widening River Road or Bohicket Road because it would provide another option for travelers crossing Johns Island, and, therefore, take pressure off of the current road system.

The greenway would stretch across Johns Island from the area of the Maybank Highway and River Road intersection to Betsy Kerrison Parkway. The proposed road concept envisions a rural roadway, buffered on both sides and protected from development. The buffering concept would be similar to the Colonial Parkway in Virginia.

Background:

• In 2001, Charleston County Council authorized a study to gather public input on ways to relieve traffic concerns on Johns Island. Maybank Highway, Bohicket Road and River Road are the boundaries of the area that was studied.

• In 2006, Charleston County Council authorized an update to the original 2001 study. The update was funded by the County’s Transportation Sales Tax.

• Charleston County Council held a public meeting on Thursday, June 19, 2008, to gather input on the idea of building a road, then known as the Sea Islands Parkway, across Johns Island, and whether or not Council should pursue asking the S.C. Department of Transportation to begin considering a limited-access toll road option. Council chose to re-evaluate this concept in relation to comprehensive traffic solutions for Johns Island.
   

On Sept. 1, 2009, County Council approved the following directives:

• To perform an alignment study for the Sea Islands Greenway

• To prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) for potential public-private financing and construction of the Greenway

• To move forward with the Maybank Highway improvements, based upon the “pitchfork” concept at the intersection of Maybank Highway and River Road

• To study and seek funding for improvements at seven Johns Island Intersections

• To study the widening of Bohicket and Main Roads as an alternative to the Sea Islands Greenway project.

The link to the Charleston County Council minutes for the Sept. 1 action is: http://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/Council/Minutes/2009/09_01_09.pdf

To follow this project, visit http://www.ccroadwise.org/sea_islands_greenway.html.