The plan to expand the Port of Charleston is ready, but part of the money to pave the way, not exactly there.
Dorothy Johnson has lived in Rosemont for nearly 70 years. I-26 already runs through her front yard, but now she's worried about a port access road inching even closer.
"They're gonna do what they want to do, no matter what we want. We're just here, that's it," said Johnson.
The road is designed to move container trucks off I-26 and into the new terminal. Two thirds of the funding has been set aside, but the rest, nearly $100 million, is still not there. Transportation and Port officials are at odds about who should foot the bill, but the President of the Ports Authority says he's not that worried.
"The funds are in interest bearing accounts today, so there's going to be significant interest accumulated. We'll continue to assess cost savings with the Department Of Transportation and look at ways to decrease the overall cost of that infrastructure," said Bernie Groseclose, President and CEO of the South Carolina Port's Authority.
The four lane road comes at a cost of $282 million and only stretches about a mile and a half. So why so expensive? Transportation officials say the road must be elevated, it needs a major interchange and not to mention the mitigation expenses.
"I hope they never get it. I hope they never get it," said Johnson.
But Groseclose says that's unlikely. The early stages of an I-26 expansion are already underway, paving the way for the port's growth. The land at the new terminal's site has also been cleared.
As for I-26, it's being expanded to eight lanes from Ashley Phosphate to 526. Something you will definitely notice next month.
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