Skip to main content

Segment of SC's I-73 goes unchallenged

Somewhat surprisingly, the Record of Decision on the southern South Carolina segment -- I-95 to Myrtle Beach -- of Interstate 73 went unchallenged this past week.

The 60 day review and comment period to challenge and object to the federal ok for the highway, which is required by Federal Law, went by quietly since the February decision.

One of the likely groups to have challenged/objected to the record of decision - the Coastal Conservation League - decided against any objections at this time; deciding rather to wait and watch the process.

"We think it is just too early and it isn't appropriate at this time," said Nancy Cave, director of the north coast office of the league.

Story: The Myrtle Beach Sun News

Commentary:

Well the article is correct the highway cleared a major hurdle when no challenges to the February Record of Decision was made. In addition to the Coastal Conservation League, I am surprised that the Southeastern Environmental Law Center also did not file an objection as they have been actively watching and commenting on the entire I-73 process.

Of course, as future construction permits are requested for the 60 mile segment. Both the CCL and the SELC will be curious and concerned about how the SCDOT goes about its business. But, it's a good start.

The state is slowly beginning the right-of-way purchase phase for the highway. But with no dedicated funding source - federal funds, tolls, or a public-private partnership - it is uncertain when the highway will still be built.

And one last thing, it is quite possible that after a decision on funding...that there could still be more delays and possible extra environmental clearances needed. Quoting from the article:

The Charleston-based Coastal Conservation League will examine the DOT's construction permit applications, and it is concerned about how the agency will compensate for destruction of wetland when the road is built.

The road so far has no definite funding stream, though it could impose a toll, and the DOT is looking for a public-private partnership to pay for part or all of the project.

Cave said if tolls are imposed or a partnership is adopted, the league may insist that a new Environmental Impact Statement be prepared because the existing document does not address toll booths and other facilities that would be needed.

Hmmm, there's still a lot of i's to dot and t's to cross before anyone will be driving on I-73 in South Carolina.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chowchilla Mountain Road to Yosemite National Park

Chowchilla Mountain Road of Mariposa County is one of the oldest roadways servicing Yosemite National Park.  As presently configured this fourteen-mile highway begins at California State Route 49 near Elliot Corner and terminates at the Wawona Road in Yosemite National Park.  Chowchilla Mountain Road was constructed as a franchise toll road over Battalion Pass circa 1869-1870.  The highway was built at behest of Galen Clark to connect the town of Mariposa to his property near the South Fork Merced River at what is now Wawona.   In late 1874 the highway along with Clark’s Station would be purchased by the Washburn Brothers.  The Washburn Brothers would continue to toll Chowchilla Mountain Road as part of their Yosemite Stage Route lines.  The highway would ultimately become a Mariposa County public highway in 1917.  Mariposa would later be more directly linked with Yosemite Valley in 1926 following the completion of the Yosemite All-Year Highwa...

Interstate 40's Tumultuous Ride Through the Pigeon River Gorge

In the nearly 60 years Interstate 40 has been open to traffic through the Pigeon River Gorge in the mountains of Western North Carolina, it has been troubled by frequent rockslides and damaging flooding, which has seen the over 30-mile stretch through North Carolina and Tennessee closed for months at a time. Most recently, excessive rainfall from Hurricane Helene in September 2024 saw sections of Interstate 40 wash away into a raging Pigeon River. While the physical troubles of Interstate 40 are well known, how I-40 came to be through the area is a tale of its own. Interstate 40 West through Haywood County near mile marker 10. I-40's route through the Pigeon River Gorge dates to local political squabbles in the 1940s and a state highway law written in 1921. A small note appeared in the July 28, 1945, Asheville Times. It read that the North Carolina State Highway Commission had authorized a feasibility study of a "...water-level road down [the] Pigeon River to the Tennessee l...

Angus L. Macdonald Bridge

At 1.3 kilometers (or about 0.84 miles) in length, the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge is one of two bridges crossing over the Halifax Harbour between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with the other bridge being the A. Murray Mackay Bridge . Opened in 1955 and named after former Nova Scotia Premier and Canadian Minister of Defense for Naval Services Angus L. Macdonald, the Macdonald Bridge was the first bridge that crossed Halifax Harbour that was opened to traffic. The Macdonald Bridge was also the subject of the Big Lift, which was only the second time in history that the span of a suspension bridge were replaced while the bridge was open to traffic. Planning began in 2010 for the Big Lift, while construction took place between 2015 and 2017. Similar work occurred on the Lion's Gate Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia before the project took place on the Macdonald Bridge. At this time, much of the bridge infrastructure is new, leaving only the towers, main cables and...