Dear Fellow Republican,

As South Carolinians, we understand the loss and destruction that can come with the winds of natural disasters. When storms have ravished our state, people across the country have shown kindness and compassion.

Today, our hearts are heavy with sadness for the loss of life and property experienced by our fellow Americans in Oklahoma.

Yet as we mourn, we are called to serve those in need. Even those of us not serving in the public arena are still called to public service.

Please join the South Carolina Republican Party in sending prayers to the people of Oklahoma, but also in sending your donations. Instead of donating to the party this week, please donate to one of these charities already on the ground:

Salvation Army

Text STORM to 80888
Donate by phone at 1-800-725-2769 or visit:
https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/uss/eds/aok

Samaritans Purse
Donate at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/donation-items/us-disaster-relief-donation/

I know that the compassion and strength of the people of South Carolina shines through even the darkest of clouds.

I hope you’ll join the South Carolina Republican Party in giving to those in need.

Proud to be a South Carolina Republican,

Beginning Thursday, May 9, the Free Enterprise Foundation is sponsoring a seminar based on Milton Friedman’s “Free to Choose” video series for ten consecutive Thursday nights, 7:00 – 9:00, running through July 11. Viewings and discussions will be held in Bond Hall, Room 295, at The Citadel.

This is a link to the first episode of the series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=D3N2sNnGwa4

The “SUPERSTREET” Intersection

(a little background)  U. S. Highway 17 is the main North-South Non-Interstate Artery and it is located in the middle of Charleston County South Carolina.  Charleston County is approximately 100 miles long and goes from Georgetown to the North down to Beaufort County to the South.   Major Intersections are located along the Highway 17 Corridor.

2010 Census: Charleston County has over 350 thousand residents not including the Tourist.  From time to time, it seems like all of these people are trying to turn left on to Main Road from Highway 17.  This Intersection leads to Johns Island which is the third largest island on the East Coast and on to the Sea Islands of Kiawah, Seabrook, and all of their Golf Courses, Restaurants  and other Amenities.  Johns Island has also become Charleston’s other  bedroom community.

There are only two ways to get to Johns Island and the Sea Islands.  One is this intersection and the other is Maybank Highway.   Main Road is the more direct route to Johns Island and the Resort Islands of Kiawah and Seabrook.

Simply stated, this means, thousands of vehicles of all descriptions turn left in the morning going to Work, Home or to Recreate.  The opposite is true in the afternoons.  A few years ago, a simple traffic light worked just fine.  Those days are gone.

The Highway Engineers have extended the current traffic light to allow anywhere from 30 to 40 vehicles each signal.  Besides the inconvenience of waiting for that many cars, trucks, 18 wheelers and autos with boats to pass through, the danger factor has increased tenfold and accidents and sometimes death have become regular occurrences at the Hwy. 17-S and Main Road Intersection.

Short of a real fix, the SCDOT has proposed something called a “Superstreet”.  What this means is: putting two  U-Turns in the middle of Highway 17.

If you are traveling South on Hwy 17 and your goal is to go to Johns Island, you must pass through this Intersection, merge left and do a U-Turn some quarter of a mile down the road.  Come back up to speed and merge right and then turn right on to Main Road to continue on your trip.

If you’re coming from Johns Island, when you get to come to the intersection, you must turn right (heading north) get in the left lane, do a U-Turn and blend back into traffic (heading south) in order to either go to the Hess gas station, Publix Supermarket or to get to Bees Ferry Road just so you can get to the shopping district at Glenn McConnell Blvd.

If you had planned to go to the Wallgreens Drugstore, you must continue on to the next U-Turn and head back north again and blend back into traffic so you can pull into the Wallgreens parking lot.

This idea of a “Superstreet Intersection” in a small community might work fine, but not at one of the busiest intersections in the State.  This Petition is to put the SCDOT on notice, we the citizens of South Charleston County DO NOT WANT THIS TYPE OF FIX.  It will do more harm than good.  Please sign this petition and then drop it into the mail to Highway Commissioner Jim Rozier at the address on the bottom of the petition.

Thank You for your interest.  It could be you, a friend or a family member who makes that fatal left turn one day and is hit by someone who either not paying attention or just fed up with this whole Superstreet Highway thing.

Click the link below to print out the petition

Superstreet Petition