Posted on 05/16/2018 8:05:30 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
WASHINGTON
By Washington standards, it shouldn’t be that hard to get money for Interstate 73, a decades-in-the-making, $2 billion project to connect 75 miles of road from the North Carolina border to the tourist hub of South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach.
But Rep. Tom Rice, R-S.C., the local congressman and the road’s key backer, is struggling to get the project going.
He does have support from his state’s two U.S. senators. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., recently called the interstate the second most important economic priority for South Carolina behind dredging the Charleston Harbor.
Al Simpson, a well-connected Washington lobbyist who was chief of staff to Mick Mulvaney before the then-South Carolina congressman became White House budget director, has been retained by the Grand Strand Business Alliance in part to engage the administration on the project’s behalf.
Back home, however, Rice is battling local officials who would prefer federal funding help other road projects. He’s also up against environmentalists who have mounted a legal challenge that could seriously thwart I-73’s momentum.
On Capitol Hill, South Carolina House members don’t seem too interested in putting serious muscle behind advancing the cause.
“I’m done with I-73,” said the delegation’s lone Democrat, Assistant House Minority Leader Jim Clyburn. “It’s not in my district anymore.”
Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., who represents a district on the other side of the state from where the interstate would run, was also noncommittal.
“I’m not going to be the one lobbying for it,” he said.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said he’s concerned about the steep price tag.
And Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., said he’d prefer that proposed routing for I-73 address environmentalists’ concerns that large swaths of wetland would be destroyed during construction.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
““I’m done with I-73,” said the delegation’s lone Democrat, Assistant House Minority Leader Jim Clyburn. “It’s not in my district anymore.””
Because he’s too busy effing with President Trump!
I’ll build it myself for $1 Billion
And I’ve never built a road before.
——the second most important economic priority for South Carolina behind dredging the Charleston Harbor.——
All the priorities chaged yesterday. A cable supporting the I 526 bridge across the Wando river closed western access to the Port of Charleston. That bridge heavy dury maintenance changes all the priorities.
Antitrade isolationists here are rejoicing.
Do we happen to know anyone familiar with construction projects who could possibly cost this out, look at EPA guidelines, talk to union representatives and get this project rolled out below budget and on schedule?
I can’t think of anyone in the administration who could do this. Hmmm.... Let’s see.
Perhaps they can come up with some kind of fuel tax to be used to pay for roads or something. While they are at it, they can make a lottery system to pay for the schools
But your leaving out how these funds must be diverted to welfare programs or social programs for a higher cause.
Myrtle Beach is a dump. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to spend time there.
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