The intersection of Interstate 526 with Long Point Road has long been one of Mount Pleasant’s worst crossing points, but that intersection has left those interested in quickly getting trucks in and out of South Carolina’s largest container terminal, in many cases residents and homeowners It seemed like it would go against their interests. nearby neighborhoods.

To the discretion of residents and the SC Department of Transportation who are in effect and offer constructive criticism. digested and responded thoughtfully According to this criticism, the final plan is much improved. That’s why U.S. Representative James Clyburn said the federal government Approved $195 million to continue work on the $325 million project.

Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie said the redesigned intersection would not only create a new overpass so trucks can directly access the interstate, but also provide a desired left turn into the Belle Hall neighborhood and erect noise barriers at some locations. “It doesn’t happen very often that you work with SCDOT and get exactly what you want, but we get exactly what we want,” he says. “Hats off to DOT for listening and making things better.”

There is heavy truck traffic at the intersection every day and whenever there is a problem, the situation gets worse. in MayWhen the Wando Welch Terminal is turned back on after being shut down to recover from a computer malfunction. That’s another reason why the State Ports Authority continues to work on a barge system that could move containers between Wando Welch and the railroad yard being built next to the Hugh Leatherman Terminal in North Charleston.

As business editor John McDermott reports, even if access to 526 from Wando Welch is improved, traffic congestion there is expected to increase by 66% over the next 25 years, with up to 13,000 trucks traveling to and from the terminal each day.

But like any major upgrade to our road network, improving this junction has become increasingly challenging due to new residential and commercial development that will sometimes suffer from massive loss of land, sometimes from less access, more noise and noise. Media loss due to additional lanes. Federal leave policies have rightly taken these potential harms into account in recent years, but they have also helped extend timelines and costs, creating a different challenge.

Fortunately, more than 2 years of collaborative effort involving the town, neighboring residents, and the Department of Transportation ultimately resulted in the Federal Highway Administration’s realignment at Long Point being “no significant impact” It’s about the surrounding environment. While that’s the official definition, common sense says: there will be effects; Even with the revised plan, more than 50 businesses in 10 buildings would need to move, Mr. McDermott says.

But the start of construction, expected in the summer of 2026, is still good news and provides a promising example of much-needed improvements at the other, quieter end of Long Point Road; Without removing the large trees that make this part of Long Point so beautiful, it will be difficult to improve flow and address the flooding problems that make it impassable at times.

This is a different road design problem than the one the state agency faced on Interstate 526, but if its leaders listen to and work with nearby residents, there’s no reason to doubt that this next road effort will result in a solution as promising as the first.