Jan. 18, 2023 • Volume 26, Issue 2 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
INSIDE • Victims Services Center adds services for adult survivors of abuse 12A • First Zion Church brings AEDs to building for defib emergencies 16A • Opioid settlement funds coming to Beaufort County 18A • Town awards first grant for historic asset 21A • Hot Spots: Where to find best comfort food on cold winter days 25A
Alljoy paving project funded by penny tax set to begin late spring By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
About 18 months ago, the question for the Alljoy community in the small, quiet corner of unincorporated Beaufort County was, “To pave or not to pave.” That is no longer a question. Alljoy will have paved sidewalks down the length of the road from Burnt Church to Thomas Lawton. The project is expected to be advertised for construction in the next couple of months and construction is expected to begin after March 2023. The last public meeting, held Jan. 10 at the Bluffton Recreation Center, drew a number of neighborhood residents still dissatisfied with the project, some as much for the lack of attention to other long-term issues as for the project itself. Myrtle Island resident Nancy Epps said the road and the speeding traffic are big problems, one of the issues being the speed limit. In speaking with Clark Henson, a representative from Infrastructure Consulting and Engineering, she said she believes there should be stop signs at both Shad Avenue and the end of Alljoy at Thomas Lawton.
“We’re just worried about the amount of traffic and the speed. We get a lot of people coming into our area, so they’re sightseers with a lot of bikes, bikers and everything, and they like to tour around. No one does anything about the speed limit. When was the last time you saw anyone stopped and given a ticket for speeding?” said Epps. “And our road has big holes in it. We’ve got big lakes in the road. They came and filled a couple of holes with leftover asphalt, but the road itself is just a huge mess. And there’s so much construction. We’ve got five houses under construction, which means 18-wheelers coming in with heavy loads, and just tearing the road up even more.” Dave Brown, who lives in The Crescent, came down to see the project’s final phase. “I think the plan looks good. Wide sidewalks are good. Maybe bikes and pedestrians can work together. I mean, it looks okay to me,” said Brown. The width of the sidewalk was a big part of the project. “It started out 8 feet and is now 6 feet,” said Henson. “Six feet solves everything. Most everything is kind of the middle ground. It’s a step in the right direction. Most people seem
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PHOTO BY GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS
As Crescent resident Dave Brown listens, Brighton Beach resident Melanie Larson, right, speaks with Clark Henson, left, of Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering about stop signs and speed bumps toward the end of Alljoy Road. The last public meeting for the Alljoy Road Sidewalk Project was held Jan. 10 at Bluffton Recreation Center on Ulmer Road.
to be in favor from what I’ve seen so far, but I’ve got a few that are not in favor of it. They just don’t need it. Don’t want it.” In response to a question regarding the decision about which side of the road the sidewalk was going, Henson said there were
decisions about drainage, utilities, overall impact in general, as well as impacts, costs, and crossings. For one group of residents in attendance, it
Please see ALLJOY on page 10A