Letter: Don’t count on city to help islands

In response to the Beaufort city manager’s insightful remarks addressing Lady’s Island, he should walk in our shoes, meaning drive in our tires, before making critical remarks of the “grassroots” folks.

I have lived in the Frogmore community for 50 years and driven to and from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort daily for 36 of those years. I think that qualifies me to speak somewhat knowledgeably on the subject of traffic across Lady’s Island, and through downtown Beaufort.

Let’s start with the city’s $32 million Boundary Street project. Wow, did the Beaufort geniuses hit that one out of the park or what? It not only crippled most business along Boundary Street, but most importantly, it has created a death trap for emergency vehicles trying to save people’s lives and property. I was almost hit head-on by an ambulance traveling northbound in the southbound lane because there is no more emergency lane.

If you think this fiasco will improve after the construction is completed, it only gets worse. They will narrow the travel lanes more, and build a raised median so no emergency vehicle can traverse it.

And now these same brilliant minds are coming to save us! Look out, island people ... they are from the government (city), and they are here to help. They’ll probably start out with putting up seven or eight more traffic lights. That will surely help with traffic flow. I can’t wait to see what their “hired experts” will come up with.

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Letter: Don’t count on city to help islands."