Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2018

north mount pleasant www.NorthMountPleasant.com | www.ParkWestNeighborhoods.com | www.BrickyardHomes.com 16 - NMP the two major issues in the NEPA study will be freshwater and saltwater wetlands, and the cultural aspect – the affect widening the road will have on people who have lived in the area for generations. The African-American Phillips Community was founded by freed slaves in the 1870s. Both Grooms and Haynie are guardedly confident that the Highway 41 project can be completed in less than seven years. “If there’s a way to do it, we’ll jump in there and do it,” said Haynie, pointing out that environmental issues were worked out fairly quickly when Highway 17 was widened through the ACE Basin, west of Charleston, allowing that project to be finished sooner than anticipated. “It’s possible to take a couple of years off the process.” Though $140 million in sales tax money has been dedicated to Highway 41, it has not yet been determined exactly what the project will look like. One possibility would include a flyover at the intersection of Highways 17 and 41, an option that would cost $132 million, according to Grooms, whose Senate district includes parts of Charleston and Berkeley counties. “It’s possible to move forward without the flyover,” he commented, adding that some funding for the project will come from Columbia. “There will be state money, but I don’t have any idea right now how much will be involved.” Mount Pleasant Waterworks General Manager Clay Duffie hopes the state will find a way to provide financial help to move the water and sewer lines along Highway 41 when the road is widened. He said that part of the job is expected to cost $19 million, and, so far, it appears that MPWW’s customers will for forced to foot the bill. He did, however, point out at the Mount Pleasant Town Council’s annual retreat Jan. 31 that he would probably ask the state Legislature to provide some financial help. When the lines had to moved for improvements on Johnnie Dodds Boulevard, MPWW water customers were charged $3 a month for three years, raising around $4 million, about half of the $8 million it cost to complete the necessary work, Duffie said. He added that to cover the $19 million price tag for Highway 41, customers probably would have to pay $4 to $5 extra on their monthly bills for 10 years. It’s possible that Waterworks will start collecting that money well before it is spent. “The commissioners have to decide in their upcoming budget if they will set aside funds right away,” Duffie said. “Or do they want to wait? That’s up to them. At this point, I don’t know what the commissioners will do.” “Hopefully we can minimize that cost,” he added. “It’s a little unfair for our water customers to pay the half-cent sales tax and pay for relocating the sewer and water lines as well.” Haynie said the town of Mount Pleasant spent approximately $1 million on design work before the sales tax referendum passed and will spend an additional $1.3 million by the time work is completed at the intersection of Joe Rouse Road and Highway 41. A lane is being added to make it easier for drivers to leave Park West and turn right onto the state highway. HWY 41 HWY 41 HWY 17 HWY 17