Infrastructure needed before port expands to Naval base

It is obvious that Al Parish, like so many others offering opinions on the South Carolina State Ports Authority expansion, suffers from myopia.

Mr. Parish bemoans the lengthy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting process at the SPA’s site on the old Charleston Naval Base and accuses the “local community” of foot-dragging (Charleston Regional Business Journal, January 10). “The people in Norfolk and Savannah,” he says, “understand the economic importance of the port, and the people here either don’t understand or don’t care.” That is a sweeping generalization that simply is not true.

Since April 2004, Hold the Port to Its Promises, which began as a committee of the Olde North Charleston Neighborhood Council, has been educating hundreds of residents on the importance of ensuring that effective infrastructure is in place before the port unleashes hundreds—perhaps thousands—more trucks onto local roads and highways each day. When I headed this committee, now a coalition of more than 500 people, we made a point when addressing groups to note that we are not anti-port; we recognize the importance of economic development to the entire state.

One of the first organizations to join with us was the Colony North Civic Association. The port site is not exactly in their back yard (they represent people who live in the Ashley Phosphate Road area), but were quick to realize that no matter where new truck traffic originated, it would eventually affect traffic everywhere in the area. You can unload all the ships you want, but if the goods can’t be delivered in a timely fashion, what is gained?

Secondly, but just as important, is that potential traffic’s effect on the local quality of life. At one point, it was rumored that a highway from the port site would be built and would dump all the truck traffic into the Chicora/Cherokee/Union Heights area on its way to Interstate 26. You can imagine the concern on the part of residents in those neighborhoods, so much so that they have asked us to address their neighborhood councils again in 2005.

We have petitioned the Army Corps to consider the ramifications of these potential problems as it develops its Environmental Impact Statement on the Navy base site. If that is “foot-dragging,” then we’re prepared to wear out as many pairs of shoes as it takes to make sure one problem is not solved by creating another. We understand, and that’s why we care.

Daniel C. Coleman Jr., President

Olde North Charleston Neighborhood Council

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