Orangeburg County has been kicking this Inland port idea around for awhile, and a plan has finally been presented by CaroLinks, the developer in charge of this project. I've been waiting for this to come out before making a decision, in the hope that the people making this project were a lot smarter than I am.. that they had a magic bullet to actually come up with a sensible, ecenomically sound plan that would satisfy everyone. Well, they're not smarter than you or me I guess. This plan seems to inconvenience even more people, and make the cost of doing business at the port even more costly.
The plan for the original inland port was to still begin at the existing Port of Charleston, where a connector to I-26 or a railway would be built to transport cargo up to the area at I-95 and 301. This might be a good time to mention again that, like Jumbo Shrimp, Inland port is an oxymoron - with emphasis on moron. With every transfer of cargo, additional costs are incurred. So, cargo that ends up in Orangeburg has higher costs than those that come from the Port of Charleston. Costs aside, the port in this form would bring business to an area that depends way too much on the federal government for support. Too bad this isn't the plan...
I refer to the map above. See the blue stuff? That's Lake Marion. Yep, CaroLinks has decided that the best course is to unload at the Wando Terminal instead. From there, they will unload the cargo onto barges and ships the size of European tugboats (whatever those are), where they will unload(again) in Santee. Then they will transport the cargo over Hwy 6 to a distribution center near Hwy 15, where they will be transferred (again) to trucks , and sent to the Main Facility at the US 301/ I-95 Interchange. The rebuilding of the new exit will be $40 million. The Main Facility isn't exactly around the corner from the unloading area either. It will be a 25 mile transport down 301. Doesn't exactly sound like an efficient business plan, does it?
At the same time, it drives a nail right through the heart of Santee's main asset. Tourism. Does anyone want to fish next to a barge, or buy a house and watch the cargo ships go by? I doubt it. Santee has spent decades building it's reputation as a sportsmen's paradise, but if this plan goes through, forget about it. CaroLinks isn't concerned about the lake, and Orangeburg Economic Development wants everyone who is interested to come there. So who is there to stop this plan? Not anyone, really. I wouldn't put pressure on Governor Sanford to block a plan that may help an economically distressed area, but it can be altered.
It doesn't make much sense to buils a port 25 miles south of the lake, then make the path to it go north of the lake. If the connnector to I-26 that was originally planned can be done , it would seem to make the port a fiscally more sensible plan. But sense is not always an overriding factor in the decisions. For the sake of business owners in Santee, and the people who have hundreds of thousands of their money invested in homes on Lake Marion, let's hope so.
18 comments:
Well, I believe an inland waterway should be cut directly to Florence so that the new QVC Dist. Center can just ship it right out on a boat! Then I can have a new place to go feeeeshin'!
I was always under the impression that the Inland Port facility would be much nearer to the I-26/95 interchange than that. It would require a rail spur of several miles, but it seems a much more logical location.
This is something that has been talked about for years. If we keep losing business to Savannah then Charleston will not have the cargo to ship to us to unload. Maybe we should build it in Hardeeville on I-95 ain't that in the sixth district for Clyburn.
Mike, keep an eye on Carolinks. Better yet check out who their advisors are, Tom Daschle, Norman Mineta, et al.
Moye, historically the Santee Cooper lakes were (in part) intended to provide barge access to inland SC, as the Intercostal Waterway does though German U-boats are not a current concern.
One of the political and money trail issues in the project appears to be moving container traffic from downtown Charleston and two terminal areas that would be prime waterfront realestate, if it wren't for all of those horrible containers and rail cars running down the eastside. The last time I looked, God wasn't making more river front property in Imperial Charleston. Taxable residential property appeals to whom? Mayors that like to spend, realestate companies that like commissions on sales and resales. Migrants that will build inland terminals and housing projects for less pay than the local work force, vendors that supply the migrants, Union leadership that will hire scab labor to build their ILA union hall for less...
Losers? Calling for more automation in the project at the pier end, fewer longshoremens positions will exist. With most of the freight yard work going up state, again stevadores jobs shift up to, could it be a non-union work site? Neighborhoods housing the folks at the pier end of the process that are downsized in this deal lose revenue, get taxed into submission and more "fixer upper" opportunities come open as (currently) based on location, some shabby two story frame homes are not in the affordable housing range (one shown the Chronicle's front page had a $600K price tag).
Also losing, in the wake of the commercial barge traffic are the sportsmen fishing the lakes. Add to that where the lot runoff goes, between the water table and either the Santee Cooper basin or the ACE basin.
Looks like a carpet bagger deal to me, without more rail movign laterally from the Santee site and north from the Wando terminal.
I'll grant, Charleston looks like the spot that this will work, but that is just the top of the iceberg.
Now this is what you need to be writing about, although you need to watch the typos such as "ecenomically sound plan" and "much sense to buils a port 25 miles south".
You stayed on a political topic (although current events and local news is also good for a site like this), spoke like an adult instead of a highschool student, had a valid point that you defended well, didn't get too angry, and didn't ramble into side topics.
My advice is to draw a line in the sand here and say that from here on out your open discussions with people (online or in groups) will be more like the way you presented yourself here.
I forgot to proofread for typos on this post. I use the blog for airing grievances a lot, and they are usually stream of consciousness typing, so many are a bit disorganized. Sounds like you have seen me on the road - public speaking is definitely not my forte. I'll take your advice to heart.
More advice:
* In politics, negative is good, but focus on the positive about something else on the following day. You're starting to look like Angry Man, frustrated, and with no sense of control of the tongue.
* If your dad is an alcoholic, then you yourself should speak out against alcoholism. If your dad was a child or domestic abuser, then speak out against it. Not to say this is the case in your situation -- it's just a warning because of something I read about your dad in the paper. Break the pattern. I should know. My dad was an alcoholic who beat me to the point of me being hospitalized. Thank goodness my grandmother stepped in and forced my mother to ditch this guy. As I grew older, I learned about child and domestic abuse and learned that there was a high tendency for this pattern to repeat itself through several generations. The anger I see that you have -- it worries me that you may have tendencies to not control yourself.
* Start to ditch the drama in your phrasing. Watch what you say. Tone the anger down to a level of 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. Avoid non-adult conversation and cussing such as "FU" and "BS". Take the high road -- you understand what I mean? People will respect you more for it. Remember also that you could win the battle and lose the war. Already I know that many in Florence County do not respect you or take you seriously because of your lack of control in what you say.
* Be short and sweet with the press, and think about what you say.
* Find some way to release the anger in a non-public way so that you can focus on what the facts of a problem are without emotion.
* Stay away from your dad.
Does anonymous has the last name Philips or Clyburn ? Or something worse maybe. Mike I know a lot of people and anyone that knows you have respect for you and your cause. We all should be as up as you are. Tell the dude to come to Lake Marion and he can go fishing with his friends from Davis Station. Then he can check out all the alcohol and domestic abuse he can stomach. I also know a Doctor he can have a free visit with.
Wanted to add I do not mean the Phillips from the Columbia area on my previous post but certain ones in the Pee Dee and particular Florence County. Worse would be a certain McLeod from Clarendon County. Also is there such a word as highschool. This of course is for anonymous. Also for anonymous if Mike want tell you I will. Call me.
I always look at those who post anonymously and consider them for what they are - people who are waaaayyyyy to chickens ... alad to have the guts to put their name to their words.
If they won't put their names to their words, I weigh what I read against that.
But there are a lot of people who are too cowardly to come out and back up what they say ... because they can't.
Interesting is the fact that down stream, the Berkeley County Administrator is opposing the project, given the fact that the barge traffic and increased erosion due to the wakes of passing barges and tugs effect on levees, some dating to colonial times, and undermining of the channel below the lakes, have not been addressed.
I get the impression that Jim Rozier would be fine with the terminal occupying Charleston south of Calhoun Street and that idea has some merit in my mind.
Is this thing a definite go? I know of a place that is building quite a few midsized barges. I wonder if this is why. I could ask around...
Not officially . The CEO of Carolinks has come out and said that the barge idea is not set in stone, and for their sake, I hope not. The Port of Charleston is still expanding, and the Jasper port is a more solid bet, so those barges could be heading in other directions. Great to have you back, Chip!
I've looked in from time to time, to see what you're up to. I'm gonna ask about those barges, Monday, just to see. It might be good to know, even if for a different use.
If Carolinks starts shipping 700 containers a day across the Santee lakes, this will absolutely destroy the recreational value of the area. Tourism will be be cut dramatically! Who wants to come fish somewhere and have to worry about being sunk by one of these barges. Even if they only run the barges at night, they must not have a clue that there is a lot of fishing activity at night on the lakes especially during the summer months. It will be disasterous for sure if this is allowed to begin. I pray that someone will stop it!!
You are absolutely right.. Carolinks is publicly saying that it is only an initial plan, but they haven't proposed anything else yet. Clyburn is a full go on this one, and we all know that his concern is Orangeburg and SCSU, so if it inconveniences Clarendon and Berkeley Counties, who cares?
Orangeburg county is doomed.....
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