Complaints prompt county to speed up work on Haigh Landing

Beaufort County officials say they will "do whatever it takes" to renovate the C.C. Haigh Jr. boat landing on Pinckney Island in time for boating season.

The $275,555 project was approved Feb. 23, and was expected to take five months to complete, during which the landing will be closed to the public. Now work is expected to be done by May 28. The push to expedite work comes from County Council Chairman Weston Newton, who said the landing is "one of our most popular boat landings in southern Beaufort County. It is unacceptable to residents and visitors to stretch this out through the warmer months."

Boaters complained that the landing needed to be improved, said Suzanne Larson, county public information officer. The landing's approach to the water will be more gradual and will include a two-lane concrete ramp, next to a new floating dock.

Rob McFee, director of the county's Engineering and Infrastructure division, says the contractor will finish renovations before Memorial Day. Work begins Monday.

"The extremely difficult we do right away, the impossible just takes us a little bit longer," McFee said.

The recently repaired pier at Haigh Landing will remain open.