By Tim Wood
Kris and I had a lovely walk the other late afternoon on one of our many perfect days here in beautiful Beaufort by the sea, just 24 miles from Yemassee … remember that one?
We parked on the bluff on Bay Street, walked to the promenade in the Waterfront Park, walked over the Woods Memorial Bridge, into and all around the newly established Whitehall Point, (which used to be the politically incorrect, but historically correct, “Plantation”). Then we retraced our steps after a quick tour of one of the new $1.8 million townhouses; They were into their last construction cleaning.
As we walked and talked, commenting on what a beautiful job they did with this development and thanking the Lord above that they saved and created such a lovely park, including water access (I wonder how that will go?!?). Our only disappointment was knowing that only the (very) wealthy can afford to live inside Whitehall Point. Happy, however, that us average folk can, at least, snoop around and enjoy the park, for now.
One thing that jumped out at me was the very loud traffic noise over the bridge. Does anyone drive 35 mph across that bridge? Don’t we have a noise ordinance to help control the glass mufflers and earth-shaking speakers?
But that lead me to a terrific fantasy …
Most of us are aware and concerned about our historic and quaint turn bridge, and rightly so. How about the congestion on Carteret Street these days? I know as well as any the complexities concerning new island access bridges. We just came back from a visit to Coral Gables and West Palm and you ain’t seen nothing yet! So I went into my reverie and what I would do if I could wave my magic wand with where we are heading:
I would commit all of U.S. 21 and Sam’s Point Road as being the permanent arteries and access to our islands. I would build another bridge next to the McTeer bridge. The main traffic arteries (IE: Lady’s Island Drive) would become six lanes with a diamond interchange overpass at the intersection of Sam’s Point Road, U.S. 21 and Sea Island Parkway.
I would then road block U.S. 21 at Meridian Road, establishing the Woods Memorial Bridge as pedestrian (foot and bikes only) into Beaufort. I would then make the following streets inside Beaufort strictly pedestrian: Bay Street and Port Republic Street from Carteret Street to Charles Street; Scott and West streets would also become strictly pedestrian within that outside boundary.
Carteret would be pedestrian from Craven Street south. Though Port Republic and Bay streets would be blocked at Carteret, the east side of those streets off Carteret would be two-way (interior) traffic for parking and homeowners’ access. I would also tear down the First Federal Bank building across from the boat landing and create an efficient and attractive, in/out access parking lot for vehicles with boat trailers (only) serving the public Factory Creek boat landing.
In pitching this concept, one needs to develop an anti-automobile mentality and work the logistics out from there. For example: Shuttle stations, parking passes, convenient but expensive parking areas, congestive pricing plans?
I’ve been discussing the threats and dangers of Beaufort County’s overdevelopment for 40 years, and it is now upon us. It is not only the cars that are harming us, it is also the boats and the over-harvesting of our precious marsh — fish, crab, oysters and shrimp. Oh, and tourism … I often curse Southern Living magazine and Hollywood; They started the whole bloody business.
People like myself will not and can not win any war against development, there is simply too much on-going, deep greed with deep pockets, within that sphere. We need to start thinking outside the box, to try and save as much of Beaufort’s charm as we can, encouraged by what citys like Savannah and Paris have and are doing now.
We would probably need (the infamous) parking garage (next to my proposed boat trailer parking?) and if Savannah and Paris can pull off their car problems so could we. If we don’t have wisdom to do it, ask the dozens of towns and cities (within both the U.S. and Europe) that have pulled it off … Mackinac Island, Paris, Savannah, etc.
We should, at the very least, try to make sure Beaufort retains some of it’s older charm that Kris and I, along with all our friends, sorely miss.
Tim and Kristy Wood moved to Beaufort in 1974. He worked as a carpenter in both restoration and new home construction, as well as operating a shop specializing in custom woodwork, Wood on Wood Specs. He is semi-retired, involved with fine woodworking and formerly sat on the City of Beaufort Zoning Board of Appeals.
