Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Harborview Road News

 

The Harborview Road Improvement project has been bid out, and the contracts should go before County Council on July 29.    Silt fencing should start to appear in late August or early September.
Since I was elected Mayor in 2012, I have cooperated with Charleston County and Councilman Joe Qualey to avoid delays and get the project started.   It has been delayed too long.   The road is falling apart.

The Town provided input on the more than 60 large trees and 150 smaller trees that will be planted to beautify the road.   I think that with the sidewalks and improved bike lanes, and the repaving, we will have a project of which all of us can be proud.

When I was first elected Mayor in 2010, the Town was suing Charleston County to block the Harborview Road Improvement Project.   I immediately began seeking a reasonable compromise with the County and settle the suit.   The County argued that due to SCDOT regulations, little change was possible.    The Town paid for a second opinion from an engineering firm, but they  mostly agreed with Charleston County.   Then, the Supreme Court came out with its order that the Town was improperly formed.   We asked for a reconsideration from the Supreme Court, and during that period withdrew our suit against the County.    The Town got nothing from suing the County.

I asked County Councilman Joe Qualey to work to for a compromise and agreed to give him my support.    The project is in his district.   Where we had the County and SCDOT insisting that no modification was possible when the Town was suing to force change, compromise became possible when it was requested by our representative on County Council.

I learned a lesson.   Fighting in court wastes time and money.  Working with our elected representatives gets results.

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