Navigating port traffic

Proposed State Ports Authority barge project at Wando terminal could lighten truck traffic on DI, I-526

The Wando Welch Terminal is a familiar sight for those visiting the Daniel Island shoreline. Located just across the Wando River from the island in Mount Pleasant, the expansive facility is adjacent to the James B. Edwards Bridge and I-526 and serves as a reminder of the area’s industry and infrastructure.

But a recent proposition may add large watercrafts and a bigger wharf to the scene, in exchange for less crowded roads.

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) has proposed a plan to use barges to transport shipping containers from the Wando Welch Terminal to other port sites. With an increase in cargo moving by water, as opposed to local roadways and I-526, the SCPA believes that their plan will alleviate truck traffic in several areas, including the Wando River bridge connecting Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island, which experienced a partial shutdown in 2018 after concerns over its structural integrity were found.

This may come as good news for those who commute to and from the island in the morning or afternoon, as the SCPA estimates that the proposed barge would be capable of moving approximately 200,000 cargo containers through the harbor.

State Senator Larry Grooms was one of the first representatives to push for a barge project almost three years ago, he claims.

“For every container that is moved by a barge, that would result in two less truck trips in and out of the Wando Terminal,” he said. “And anything I can do to take trucks off the highways, I am happy to do.”

Representative Nancy Mace of Daniel Island has also been a vocal advocate for the project, so far.

“The proposed barge operation will remove 500 trucks a day from our side of I-526,” said Mace.

“It is significant and important to our area because for infrastructure, there is no one-size-fits-all resolution,” she explained. “There have to be several components to relieving some of the pain points, pressure points we have in our traffic.”

The South Carolina State Ports Authority’s public notice of the project states that 210,000 containers were transported between the Wando Welch Terminal and local rail yards in 2016. They estimate that this number will grow to 350,000 a year over the next three decades.

The proposed barge would allow some containers to move between the Wando Welch Terminal, the Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. Terminal, and the Navy Base Intermodal Container Transfer Facility through the waterway and a private drayage road. According to the SCPA, this “would reduce the total number of truck trips (on public roadways) required to transport containerized cargo between WWT [Wando Welch Terminal] and local rail yards.”

According to the SCPA, less truck traffic and reduced pollutant emissions are two of the primary reasons for the barge proposal.

For the project to be possible, the SCPA proposes a series of construction initiatives, including an extension of the existing pile-supported wharf, conducting new maintenance dredging, and installing additional shoreline protection. This will all go towards the proposal’s required wharf extension, which will add a 700-foot long and 208-foot wide extension to the existing wharf. Approximately 1,110,000 cubic yards will need to be dredged to help construct an access channel and to extend the existing berth.

“The proposed project would increase the overall length of the existing wharf from 3,800 linear feet to 4,500 linear feet in order to accommodate a dedicated container barge operation (two barge berths) and three Neo-Panamax container ships at the same time,” stated the SCPA’s proposal, outlined on the Army Corps of Engineers public notice.

Traffic and infrastructure are two of the hot-button issues that often spark grumbles among local residents, making the prospect of less trucks on the road an exciting thought for some.

“I am always hearing complaints about trucks on the road,” said Rep. Mace. “We all know we live near a port and that is a way of life. The port is a huge economic generator for the state, but this is one way that we can tackle some of our infrastructure challenges.”

While most parties involved have been enthusiastic about the project, the Daniel Island Natural Resources Association showed concern over the potential impacts.

“We all agree that the barging idea is environmentally negative and we believe that it would affect the safety, well-being, and property values negatively,” said DINRA President Ken Scarlett.

The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League did not echo these sentiments. The CCL’s Land, Water, and Wildlife Program Director Emily Cedzo said that, while the proposed dredging and rip-rap will be “significant, there will be no direct impacts to existing vegetative wetlands.”

“It’s our understanding that the Ports Authority actually plans to do several different studies over the next year or so that will take into account sediment quality, water quality, doing an underwater archeology study, understanding sedimentation, and doing a noise analysis,” she stated. “I think, in terms of environmental impacts, it’s still a little bit up in the air.”

Cedzo added that she believes the project will benefit the environment through fewer truck emissions in the air.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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