International Drive supporters call off protest because of weather

Numerous Conway residents were planning to picket the Coastal Conservation League office in Georgetown Tuesday morning to protest the environmentalists’ demand that a state court halt construction of International Drive, but called off the protest because of rain.

Felicia Soto, one of the key road supporters leading the picket, said the protest was going to be their “final statement” to environmentalists to drop the legal roadblock and allow construction to be completed.

“We’re not stopping, we’re going to fight this until the bitter end,” Soto said.

The court hearing in Columbia pn Thursday is the latest legal battle in which the league and S.C. Wildlife Federation have initiated to block work on the road that would connect Highway 90 with Carolina Forest.

Environmentalists want construction to cease while they are pursing new legal action through a federal court in Charleston to have a permit revoked.

The groups say construction will encourage future commercial growth in the area near the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, and have argued that bear tunnels should be constructed under the road.

No bears have come in contact with construction workers since the project began Aug. 19.

Administrative Law Court Judge Ralph Anderson has already ruled twice in favor of Horry County officials to proceed with construction, and the needed permits were issued last month.

In a matter of weeks, county officials have already cleared the right-of-way and leveled the impassable road so that emergency vehicles could access the area.

This story was originally published September 13, 2016 at 6:22 AM with the headline "International Drive supporters call off protest because of weather."