By Lauren Ratcliffe
lratcliffe@scbiznews.com
Published Sept. 10, 2012
Charleston County legislators held two recent news conferences touting support for the completion of Interstate 526, and now have data to support those claims.
The results of a survey of 5,000 homes in the area most likely to be affected by the extension of the Mark Clark Expressway revealed that 72% of residents were in favor of completing Alternative G. The survey was conducted by the S.C. Department of Transportation and the University of South Carolina’s Institute for Public Service and Policy Research.
Residents living in ZIP codes 29407, 29412, 29414, 29439, 29455 and 29487 were selected randomly for the survey; nearly half, 44.5%, responded.
Levels of support for the project varied by ZIP code, age and race, but all subgroups reported majority approval for completing the roadway.
Older respondents favored the project in greater number than younger ones. Eighty-four percent of those over age 65 favored the project while 68% of those younger than 30 were in favor.
Men were more likely than women to favor the extension of the Mark Clark Expressway along the proposed route, 78.7% to 67.4%.
Along ethnic lines, 81.8% of blacks, 70.2% of whites and 65.3% of those of other races indicated that they favored building the extension of the Mark Clark Expressway along the proposed route.
Charleston County gave control of the project back to the SCDOT in January and no action had been taken on the project by the department. Charleston legislators and officials said the DOT wanted to ensure support for the project existed before agreeing to do anything.
Last month the South Carolina State Transportation Infrastructure Bank approved the remaining $138 million in funding for the completion of the expressway.
Discussions between Charleston County, the Transportation Infrastructure Bank, SCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration will determine whether the project is completed.
Previous coverage
Infrastructure Bank approves $138 million to finish Mark Clark
SCDOT stalls again on I-526 decision
Charleston County Council gives I-526 project to state
Charleston County Council to search for new I-526 options
