Letter: Hilton Head obligated to first fix traffic circle

The Sea Pines Circle seriously fails the wait-time standard set by the town's Land Management Ordinance (LMO). Finally, that fact is going to be formally presented to the Planning Commission. The Circle to Circle committee was made aware of the failure back in September 2015.

Surely, if the Planning Commission knew of the circle failure before it deliberated the University of South Carolina Beaufort project in December, it would not have approved the project until the circle is corrected as required by the LMO.

Town staff (and our mayor and council) act like the LMO does not have to be enforced, particularly with regard to town projects, even though the LMO specifically says that it applies to town projects and town land. Projects that will add even more traffic to the circle continue to receive administrative approval.

According to a Packet article, at least one town staff member acknowledges that the town is required "to take action to mitigate delays" at the circle. The town has no plan to bring the circle into compliance with the LMO and yet continues to approve projects that will make the situation worse. Building a fly-over at the circle as the mayor has suggested is not the answer on a beach resort island.

Law requires the town to enforce the LMO. The town must exercise its obligation to halt the USCB project as well as other projects impacting the circle until the circle is brought up to LMO standards.

Kate Keep

Hilton Head Island

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 8:35 AM with the headline "Letter: Hilton Head obligated to first fix traffic circle."