Commemorating Completion of Phase One of the John N. Hardee Airport Expressway - Hon. Joe Wilson

COMMEMORATING COMPLETION OF PHASE ONE OF THE JOHN N. HARDEE AIRPORT EXPRESSWAY-HON. JOE WILSON (Extensions of Remarks - July 08, 2004)

HON. JOE WILSON
OF SOUTH CAROLINA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, July 8, 2004

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I along with my colleague, Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the completion of Phase One of the John N. Hardee Airport Expressway.
This will be announced to the people of South Carolina at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, July 10. The completion of this 2.8 mile expressway will provide easy and direct access to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

This expressway, which widened Airport Road from Airport Boulevard in Cayce to Platt Springs Road in Springdale, will make a vast difference in the way South Carolinians and visitors commute to the airport. We are looking forward to the next and final phase of the project, which is currently under design and should begin construction in 2006. This will provide for a new four-lane road extending Airport Road to Interstate 26. Coupled with the success of the John N. Hardee Expressway, these two new roadways will reduce traffic and provide direct access to the growing Columbia Metropolitan Airport by passenger and cargo vehicles, removing some 25,000 vehicles each year from the local network surrounding the airport.

We would like to thank the people at the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) for all of their hard work in completing this important project. Mrs. Elizabeth Mabry, Executive Director of SCDOT, and Mr. John Hardee, SCDOT Second District Commissioner for whom the expressway is named, thank you for your tireless dedication in getting this phase of the project completed. This expressway will be helpful to the people of the entire state of South Carolina, and for this you are appreciated.