|
The
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) is the inland waterway connection
for traffic from Boston, Massachusetts to Brownsville, Texas. Thousands of
barges, tugs, cruising boats and recreational boats utilize the AIWW
annually for commerce, long distance travel and local water access. As the
AIWW exits Charleston, South Carolina harbor going south it goes through
Wappoo Cut, a narrow canal like channel that immediately confronts a
drawbridge connection between the mainland and James Island. Wappoo Cut has
for many years been a boater access point . The busy waterway also carries
the commercial and heavy traffic of the AIWW and has for years been the
crossing point for all the utilities between Charleston and James Island.
The adjacent landside portion of the project is split by Highway 171 with
a heavy traffic load and is home to numerous and sometimes abandoned
electrical, water and sanitary sewer lines.
The
challenge of the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission project
for Jon Guerry Taylor & Associates. was to enlarge the facility
including parking, deal with the AIWW boat and barge traffic safely,
integrate a four way traffic pattern onto Highway 171, include
requirements for use by the SC Department of Transportation and the bridge
tender while locating and accommodating the various utility corridors.
The finished project includes 4
new launching lanes with two courtesy docks and
was completed under budget ($600,000) and on schedule.
The boat ramp facility
now provides safe 24/7 water access for over 100 boaters, smooth
traffic flow with protected traffic turns without any conflicts with
underground utilities.
|
.
