Conservation efforts not reason International Drive delayed
Six years ago, the Coastal Conservation League, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation and the South Carolina Environmental Law Project endorsed a proposal developed by Horry County and the Department of Natural Resources to pave International Drive. That project would have wisely included wildlife passages to protect black bears and other wildlife, as well as motorists on the road.
As the project was moving through the permitting process, the county reneged on that earlier contractual agreement and pressured DNR to remove their requirement for the crossings. The Sun News editorial wrongly attributes the delay in this project to our organizations - but the current impasse is the result of the county’s action.
Today, the project has expanded to five lanes wide, with no wildlife passages and ten curb cuts to adjacent potentially developable properties. We have met twice with Horry County officials and once with Carolina Forest representatives; have agreed to one, instead of the original three wildlife passages; and suggested reduced curb cuts and better ways to offset the environmental damage from the project. If Horry County had continued with the less environmentally-damaging 2010 project, Carolina Forest residents would already be driving on it, and if Horry County had been willing to include a single wildlife crossing and considered a more controlled access road, this issue would have been settled months ago. Meaningful negotiations require reasonable give-and-take on both sides. The County was unwilling to give an inch.
One of our greatest concerns is safety and the loss of both humans and wildlife because inadequate protective measures (i.e. providing safe and effective wildlife passage through a known wildlife corridor) have been removed from the project. The record of car/bear collisions on highways surrounding Lewis Ocean Bay should send a strong warning that such measures are necessary. A reduced speed of 45mph is insufficient and inadequate to protect drivers or bears. Stopping distances at 45mph (conservative estimate because speed limits are very likely to be exceeded) are projected to be 145 feet, using a standard Highway Code one-second thinking/reaction time. Given that bears travel at night, sight distance and reaction time are likely to increase possible collision factors.
With the largest number of rare intact protected Carolina Bays in the world, large areas of wetland pocosin habitat containing endangered or rare plants and animals and berry production for wildlife, Lewis Ocean Bay is one of the natural crown jewels of all of South Carolina. The Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Trust Preserve is a public trust resource that belongs to all citizens of the State. Compromising this public trust by breaking up habitat with a road will undoubtedly lower its wildlife value and ecological integrity.
Roads on three sides already surround the Preserve. We believe it is the duty of the State to protect this resource. Accordingly, we have recommended alternatives for this road that offer at least some chance of reducing impacts to Lewis Ocean Bay, bear movements and the risk of bear/car collisions. This is not intransigence; it is just wise environmental and road planning. Our goal is to improve the project for everyone’s benefit.
As to community benefit, it bears noting that the county testified that International Drive would not provide an evacuation route because it dead ends on S.C. 90 and would require drivers to get onto either U.S. 501 or S.C. 22, the DOT-designated evacuation routes. It also bears noting that the travel distances to hospitals and for emergency responders is the same today as it was when folks purchased property in the Carolina Forest and S.C. 90 areas.
Moreover, studies have demonstrated that building new roads only results in additional traffic that continues to rise until peak congestion returns to the previous level. Those extra curb cuts will draw development—and traffic—to International Drive, so this would not allow the quick drive that some have described.
With so many people moving to and visiting South Carolina’s coast, it’s incumbent on local governments to plan for growth so that we preserve wildlife and the special places that make our state great while meeting the needs of a growing population in a way that doesn’t hurt the quality of life for those who are already here. Key to this planning is projecting and implementing transportation infrastructure demands in conjunction with authorizing development projects. This is particularly true for areas like coastal Horry County where rampant development growth continually outpaces transportation needs. The decisions of local governments on how we grow are not to be taken lightly; they will affect the daily lives of our children and future generations. The law provides for public input into these decisions, and we are proud to play a part in ensuring that government officials make expensive generational decisions wisely—and in accordance with the law.
While the legal process continues, we remain willing and ready to work with county officials, residents and the DNR to resolve this dispute. It would be a testimony to the leadership and vision of the county if we could all support a project that would serve the needs of wildlife, people and safety simultaneously.
The writers represent South Carolina Environmental Law Project, Coastal Conservation League and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.
This story was originally published August 2, 2016 at 8:29 AM with the headline "Conservation efforts not reason International Drive delayed."