On July 8, you will have an opportunity to speak up in support of a balanced compromise for Highway 41.  

In 2020, Charleston County proposed widening Highway 41 to five lanes through the historic Phillips community, but given concerns expressed by residents and advocacy from the Conservation League and our partners, it shelved that initial plan and designed a Compromise Alternative. This compromise balances the needs of all communities along this portion of Highway 41 while minimizing impacts to the natural environment. However, newer members of Mount Pleasant Town Council are not honoring this compromise alternative that was carefully negotiated years ago. 

This improvement project has been years in the making, and the compromise was developed out of a long process of community engagement. However, as we approach the final permit approvals before construction, misinformation has arisen and is putting this solution at risk.  

Many stakeholders were involved in the development of this alternative plan, and it underwent extensive community engagement. This project will bring needed traffic relief, better prepare Mount Pleasant for evacuations, protect the Phillips community, and provide the least environmentally damaging alternative possible.

Learn more about the upcoming meeting here.

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The compromise alternative addresses projected traffic and growth, including 9,000 homes that are part of the proposed Cainhoy development. 

FICTION: The compromise alternative fails to address future growth needs of the region. 

FACT: After gathering projected traffic and growth data, the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) determined that key intersections along the corridor will operate at an acceptable level of service and avoid gridlock in the project design year of 2045.  

The Laurel Hill Parkway is a critical piece of the compromise alternative, contributing to traffic offset and safety improvements for pedestrians. The success of Highway 41 improvements is contingent upon the Laurel Hill Parkway component.  

FICTION: The Compromise Alternative does not address traffic in the neighborhoods and the traffic modeling numbers do not justify the Laurel Hill Parkway. The Laurel Hill Parkway will add danger to pedestrians and will harm forests and wetlands. The Laurel Hill Parkway component will not alleviate congestion in the area. The larger Highway 41 project can proceed and be successful without the Laurel Hill Parkway component.  

FACT: The proposed Laurel Hill Parkway will help reduce traffic on Highway 41 and Bessemer Road by nearly 90% and alleviate congestion in the Phillips Community. The impact to wetlands was evaluated multiple times and was ultimately determined to be the least impactful alternative in terms of wetland fill.  

Additional cost acquired since the project’s original proposal in 2016 is being offset by funding from the State Infrastructure Bank.  

FICTION: The compromise alternative will cost significantly more money than the original project budget.  

FACT: The County originally budgeted $130 million for the project in 2016. The County has received a $62 million funding commitment from the State Infrastructure Bank to help offset additional costs of the project in nearly a decade since the project proposal, including significant construction cost inflation and additional items not originally budgeted for, bringing the new estimate to $213 million. If this project is abandoned, the funding from the SIB will likely be diverted to other transportation projects outside of Mt. Pleasant.  

The compromise alternative has considered environmental impacts – including flooding, water quality, and wildlife – and is the most balanced alternative for the Highway 41 project. 

FICTION: The Highway 41 project will cause flooding and negatively impact water quality.  

FACT: The Highway 41 project must be designed to minimize flood and water quality impacts in the project area in order to receive the required permits from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services and the Army Corps of Engineers. No roads or buildings have been identified that will be flooded because of the project.  

FICTION: The Highway 41 project will harm wildlife through habitat destruction. 

FACT: Impacts to wildlife will be minimized through the design, location, and construction techniques utilized for the project.  

FICTION: The Highway 41 project will cause harm to architectural, historical, and archaeological sites along the corridor. 

FACT: Among the 19 identified archaeological sites in the 2014 cultural resources survey at Laurel Hill, only one site may be potentially affected. Further investigation to avoid, minimize and or mitigate potential impacts will be performed before any construction takes place.  

Right-of-way impacts.

FICTION: The proposed alternative will destroy a large section of Laurel Hill County Park and negatively impact other surrounding areas.

FACT: The proposed Laurel Hill Parkway is contained to the edge of the park where there are no existing trails or programming and limited foot traffic.  

The compromise alternative minimizes impacts to surrounding and historic communities.  

FICTION: The proposed alternative will negatively impact surrounding and historic communities. 

FACT: The Compromise Alternative minimizes impacts to surrounding historic communities who have already been disproportionately impacted by other transportation projects in the area.