Pork Barrel Bridge Wastes Scarce Road Money, Will Delay Needed Projects

Charleson, SC – The $100 million price tag of a South Carolina bridge project will threaten funding for the state’s identified top transportation priorities without fulfilling its promise to shorten travel times, reduce congestion and spur economic development. Conservationists and sportsmen, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, filed public comments today in opposition to the issuance of the key environmental permits for the Briggs-DeLaine-Pearson Connector, noting the project’s goal to “improve connectivity” in the region will not be met and instead will threaten the most important natural area in central South Carolina.

“The Briggs-DeLaine-Pearson Connector remains a pork-barrel project looking for a purpose,” said David Farren, attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. “By moving forward with this bridge, the state will sacrifice one of its last, great wild places on an empty promise of prosperity. In the meantime, the hundred million dollars spent on the bridge will drain funds from other planned projects identified by local leaders as necessary and important.”

The Connector, which has been recognized as one of America's most wasteful road projects, aims to link the small communities of Rimini and Lone Star, claiming it will spur economic development and improve traffic flow. The SC Department of Transportation’s own studies have shown travel times would shave a mere three to 10 minutes off the hour long drive between Orangeburg and Sumter. Furthermore, Federal Highway Administration studies show that building roads alone is not an effective economic development strategy.

Despite this, the state DOT last month requested a permit from the Corps of Engineers and Department of Health and Environmental Control to fill wetlands on the site. The comments submitted by SELC on behalf of the Coastal Conservation League, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, Audubon South Carolina, the Columbia Audubon Society and the South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club are in response to that permit. Its construction would impair, both for humans and wildlife, the solitude of Upper Santee Swamp, one of the last large, intact bottomland hardwood swamps in South Carolina and an area treasured by hunters, anglers and nature lovers.

“The Upper Santee Swamp is one of South Carolina’s last great wild places, internationally renowned for providing critical wildlife habitat,” said Angela Viney, executive director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. “While this bridge can’t guarantee economic prosperity, it will guarantee substantial impacts on water resources, wildlife and fisheries habitat and the public’s use and enjoyment of the Upper Santee.”

South Carolina DOT is facing a severe financial crisis. Its 20 year plan reflects $57 billion in priorities with only $11 million to pay for them. Despite not being an identified priority, last year the Connecter received a $16 million earmark in the federal transportation bill – which will require $4 million in matching funds from the state. These federal and state commitments take away from the ability to fund the state’s identified road-building, safety and maintenance priorities. South Carolina currently has the 8th highest highway fatality rate in the nation.

These priorities include the proposed I-73, which has been identified by SC DOT as “the most important new proposed construction project in the state” and is expected to be a vehicle for economic development and tourism. However, even with current projected funding levels from state and federal sources, it will take a decade or more to secure full funding for the project. In addition, many other construction projects have been identified as DOT priorities, especially in South Carolina’s rapidly growing metro areas.

The Connector has received little support from the state. Governor Mark Sanford called the project “fiscally irresponsible” and the state Department of Transportation admitted, “…if we had no earmark for that bridge, that bridge would not be a project that the DOT would select.” The public agrees: SCDOT itself has acknowledged that “[p]ublic input throughout the public involvement process resulted in a common opinion that the funds for this project would be better spent on other transportation system improvements, or on other needs such as education.” Dell Isham, of the South Carolina Chapter Chair for Sierra Club adds that “the bridge not only represents a loss to taxpayers, but also a loss in solitude, recreation, the environment, and to wildlife habitat. I also fear that a bridge at this location may also prove to be a great disappointment to local residents.”

To approve the permit, the Corps must evaluate all reasonable alternatives to the project to ensure that it is the least environmentally damaging way to address area transportation needs. In addition, the Corps balances factors of economics, conservation, wetlands, impact to habitats, recreation and water supply and quality to determine the impacts of the project on the public interest.

Conservationists are confident the project will fail these tests. Jane Lareau, Land Use Director of the Coastal Conservation League said, “The Upper Santee Swamp is treasured by nature lovers of all kinds as one of the most ecologically pristine areas in the state. Empty promises of connectivity and economic development should not serve as a reason to destroy this gem.”

High resolution maps are available for reprint by calling Melinda Pierson at 919-967-1450.