Published Nationally ®
Southeast Edition
October 7 2020
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Vol. XXXIII • No. 21
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Inside
S.C. Officials Say I-95 Exit Will Be ‘Transformative’
Hurricanes are often erratic by nature and their movements can be hard to predict. The amount of destruction they inflict on United States’ coastal areas also is difficult to foresee. A perfect example recently could be found in last month’s Hurricane Sally. As the storm system slowly meandered north-northwest through the Gulf of Mexico after crossing the southeastern tip of Florida on Sept. 12, Sally began a period of erratic behavior. One day it would be a tropical storm, the next day a Category 1 hurricane, then strengthening into a Cat 2 storm, before weakening into a Cat 1 hurricane again as it approached the Gulf Coast states. Ominously, when it did weaken, it also slowed considerably to where it was moving at only 2 mi. per hour. That meant predicted rainfalls and storm surge amounts would be heavy and long-lasting when over land — undoubtedly leading to destructive flooding. But Sally’s biggest surprise came at midnight on Sept. 16 when, just before it made landfall, the hurricane’s eye rapidly became better defined and the storm began to re-intensify back into a Cat 2. In addition to strengthening, Sally abruptly turned onto a more east-northeast track.
The long-awaited Exit 3 off I-95 in Hardeeville, S.C., is closer to reality, as a Sept. 21 press conference made clear. But it’s still unclear when construction will begin, how many jobs it’s expected to create, and what the economic impact will be. State and federal officials, including South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, gathered to celebrate the economic opportunities Exit 3 will bring to the rural area at the southernmost tip of the state. “This is [one of] the most transformative events in the state of South Carolina,” Graham said. “It’s an opportunity to bring businesses and new people to a county that can use all it can get. I’m all in.” Graham said the project will encourage young people to stay in Jasper County, even though that’s been a challenge in the past. McMaster said Exit 3 is “going to be an economic engine.” “This particular project is one that was a long time coming, but it is here,” McMaster said. “This is going to open things up. Our future is bright. All we have to do is be careful, communicate, collaborate and work with each other.” In July, the S.C. Transportation Infrastructure Bank approved Jasper County and the City of Hardeeville’s request for a $28.1 million grant and a $28.1 million loan to help build the new interchange at Purrysburg Road and I-95. Plans call for it to help connect traffic to U.S. 17 and U.S. 321. The project got final approval from the South Carolina Joint Bond Review Committee in August. Hardeeville Mayor Harry Williams said the I-95 exit project has been a long time coming, adding that it was in the works before he took office in 2016. He said the optimistic timeline is to complete the interchange by the start of I95 widening from Yemassee south to Georgia, which won’t begin until 2023.
see SALLY page 52
see EXIT page 17
Hitachi Celebrates 70 Year s of Innovation...8
SMHG Seeks Dealers for Material Handling Lines...16
JCB Resto re s Vi nta ge Backhoe Loa der. .. 62
Table of Contents ................4 Aggregate & Recycling By Eric Olson Section ..........................26-37 CEG CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Attachments & Parts Section ......................................40-45 Truck & Trailer Section ........ ......................................46-48 Auction Section ............68-73 Business Calendar ............72 Advertisers Index ..............74