BEAUFORT
330 Robert Smalls Pkwy. Ste. 17 Cross Creek Plaza next to JCPenney (843) 470-1254 M–F 9a–10p | S 9a–8p | Su 10a–6p DISCLAIMER: *Offer ends 05/14/17. Voucher redeemable at Massage Envy franchised locations nationwide by 08/12/2017. Not valid online for previous purchases. Min. $125 per transaction in gift card purchases. Cannot be combined with other offers. The 30-minute massage session upgrade must be used in conjunction with a 60-minute or 90-minute Wellness Massage session. Session times include hands-on service time and a total of 10 minutes of time for consultation and dressing, which occurs pre and post service. Additional taxes and fees may apply. Prices subject to change. Rates and services may vary by location and session. For a specific list of services, check with specific franchised location or see MassageEnvy.com. Gift cards are not redeemable or refundable for cash or credit except where required by law. Each location is independently owned and operated. ©2017 Massage Envy Franchising, LLC.
MAY 11 - 17, 2017
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Flying? Better get to the DMV By Sally Mahan
If you’re flying in 2018, you won't be able to get through security at airports if the only identification you have is your South Carolina driver’s license. Starting in January, the Transportation Security Administration is also going to stop accepting driver’s licenses under the Real ID Act from Alaska, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico and Washington state. Driver’s licenses from Puerto Rico, Guam and the
U.S. Virgin Islands will also not be accepted. And it’s not only flights. Driver’s licenses from those states will also not be accepted to get onto military bases or into secure federal buildings. However, the Palmetto State is working to fix the problem for South Carolinians. Under the federal act, all licenses must be equipped with machine-readable technology, which typically comes in the form of a chip. The IDs being issued now by South Carolina are considered non-compliant.
Residents would have to fly on another form of ID, including a U.S. military identification or permanent resident card. Another acceptable form of ID will be passports, but only about four of every 10 Americans have a passport, according to the State Department. To address the problem, South Carolina citizens who are interested in getting a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card can bring their identity documents to SCDMV branch offices
across the state starting on Monday, May 15. That includes bringing all of the following: • Two proofs of your current SC address. Examples include no more than a 3-monthold pay stub with your name and address and a no more than 3-month-old water bill with your name and address These two proofs cannot come from the same category, such as a water bill from April and a water bill from March. • Proof of U.S. citizenship, identity and See FLYING page A9
Surprise! Traffic continues to increase
Town is cautious about port bid By Lisa Allen
Traffic has increased in Northern Beaufort County due to commercial and residential growth in the area. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
By Paul Butare
Each year, the South Carolina Department of Transportation conducts a traffic count at key roadways throughout the state. DOT has stations all over the state, with many in Beaufort County. Data from these stations provide the Annual Average Daily Traffic Count (AADT). For traffic engineers and planners, this data is used to calculate road usage, peak hours and traffic trends. The chart at right shows 2016 data in the key areas of Lady’s Island, with focuses on Sea Island Parkway, S.C. 802 and Sams Point Road. The 2016 totals are not fully representative of a normal year due to Hurricane Matthew and particularly Hunting Island being closed for 10 weeks of the year. Since Hunting Island has over 1 million visitors a year, the impact could be significant,
2016 Average Annual Daily Traffic Count at select locations % Change vs 2015 Location Chowan to Sams Point Road Intersection Sea Island Parkway to Chowan Creek Bridge McTeer Bridge to Meridian Road Woods Bridge
though October through December is not peak time. As seen in the chart, the 2016 data indicates modest to major traffic growth along Sea Island Parkway/U.S.21; 5 percent growth on McTeer Bridge; and a minor reduction in traffic over the Woods Memorial Bridge. Woods Bridge decreased about 700 trips per day from the previous year while the McTeer picked up an additional 1,000 trips per day. Growth is hard to project but it is safe to assume that new stores and developments will in-
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! We asked for stories on your mom and the winning essay is both touching and sweet. PAGE B1
+15.17% +12.08% +4.85% - 3.58%
Volume Change vs 2015 AADT +2,700 +1,800 +1,000 - 700
evitably cause additional traffic. With the opening of the new Walmart and Hunting Island being able to once again accept visitors, there is likely to be another surge in traffic on the portion of Sea Island Parkway from Chowan Creek Bridge to the Publix intersection. New annexation and rezoning requests near the Walmart could, if approved, produce even more commercial development. The SC DOT’s count for traffic in the area for 2016 is available online at www.scdot.org/getting/ annualTraffic.aspx.
FOR THE BIRDS Pete Richards started the Birthday for the Birds party in Port Royal to celebrate our feathered friends. PAGE B1
Traffic Count 2016 2015 AADT AADT 20,500 17,800 16,700 14,900 21,600 20,600 18,800 19,500
Paul Butare is the chairman of the Lady’s Island Business and Professional Association.
MORE INSIDE
• Beaufort County has installed a new traffic signal on Sea Island Parkway/U.S. 21 at Airport Circle on Lady’s Island in preparation for the opening of the new Walmart. See page A4. • Bill Rauch provides a lesson in how citizens can help get road and bridge improvements to reduce traffic along the U.S. 21 Business corridor. See page B6.
For 10 years, the S.C. Ports Authority clung to the Port of Port Royal. Four attempts to buy the property and redevelop it fell through because of an appraised value many said was exorbitant. Banks agreed and one by one, the sales fell through. One ports authority appraisal for the property was $26.6 million, another for $22.5 million, yet another for $14.8 million. The authority refused to show how it arrived at its appraised values. Finally, State Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, introduced a bill in 2014 that would wrest the sale of the port from the ports authority and give it to the Department of Administration. Two years later, the Department of Administration appraised the 317-acre site at $6.95 million and opened it up for bids. Its 161-page appraisal document is online at bit. ly/2qPyRmf. A winning bid was declared in April and a 90-day due diligence period began. However, the department disappointed area residents once again by refusing to disclose either who won the bid or for how much. Port Royal Mayor Sam Murray said the state hasn’t provided the See PORT page A9
INSIDE Lowcountry Life A2 In Other News A4-5 A6 Health Business A7-8 From The Front A9 Community B1
Around Town B2-3 Sports B4 B5-6 Voices Events B7 Directory B8 Classifieds B9
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