At $328 million and rising, the Route 278 Corridor Project has significant flaws, missing and deliberately hidden parts. It is quite likely that it will not meet its goals of congestion improvement. It desperately needs an Independent Review, but in 2020 (as shown via leaked documents) Stu Rodman led an effort to divert that review. That cost us 2 years.

As a result of the strength of this Petition list, Citizens with the help of Senator Davis submitted a needed Plan for reviving the Independent Review on July 5, 2022. That plan would be responsive to the desires of this Petition group.

(A few months later, using the same tactics as in 2020, a diluted, adulterated Sham version of the Independent Review was created by Town and County Staff.)

I recently asked both candidates for HH Mayor if they supported the Independent Review desired by citizens - the July 5, 2022 Citizen/Davis version, not the SHAM. Here are the answers:  

JoAnn Orischak - 11/16/22

"I support the original MOU and plan for an Independent Review of the Corridor project as negotiated by Senator Tom Davis in his 7/5/22 letter to Town and County Councils.  Kindest Regards, JoAnn Orischak" 

Alan Perry - 11/17/22 

"When elected Mayor, and with agreement from a majority of Council members, I will propose broader scope for this new review, including whether the current SCDOT project design will deliver the Hilton Head Guiding Principles, whether significant design alternatives could improve the project’s performance and/or lower its environmental impact or cost, and a complete end-to-end forecast of changed traffic patterns and the impact on congestion on 278 and on the neighborhood roads that connect to 278. I will propose a panel of resident-experts to evaluate the consultant’s study findings, which must also be transparently disclosed to our residents at large. After sufficient opportunity to gather feedback, make modifications, and eventually develop Community buy in, Town Council will be ready to decide on granting Municipal Consent for this project."

Bottom Line

The Alan Perry answer is evasive and will further delay or kill the needed Independent Review.  Since Town Council is likely to be closely split, the Mayor will cast the deciding vote.

If you want a scientific, transparent, fair, Independent Review you should vote for JoAnn Orischak for Mayor.

The fastest path to a sound Corridor Project is via the Independent Review. Otherwise, the very significant project issues will cause delays in the Federal review process.