Bill
Collins
top of his list because that is what the town’s resi- dents want.
“Years ago my grandmother told
me, ‘Billy, remember the Lord gave you two ears and one mouth. Listen more than you talk and you’ll learn a lot.’ I listened during the mayoral campaign. People said, ‘Help us find a solution to this traffic.’ “Te traffic is atrocious and it’s on
everybody’s mind. It impacts every- thing we do,” Collins continued. He knows the problem can’t be
solved within the town limits of Summerville; it’s a regional issue. He is reaching out to the leaders of other cities and counties in the tri-county area (Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester) and to the legislative and congressional delegations. Collins also plans to speak with some of the area’s major employers about staggering their work hours, which could help alleviate the heaviest congestion on Interstate 26. “A 45-minute or one-hour change would not significantly affect people’s schedules but could make a lot of difference in the time it takes to get to their jobs. And it would cost no money. It’s a creative solution,” said Collins. Te Berlin G. Myers Parkway has been in the works since the 1970s, and Collins thinks it’s critical to finish it. He explained that MeadWestvaco Corp. is already developing East Edisto, the 78,600 contiguous acres of company-owned land along the eastern edge of the Edisto River in Charleston and Dorchester counties. “If that continues without another
way through town other than 17A, 10 years from now, you won’t be able to get through this town. So I think it has to be done,” said Collins. Other plans to alleviate traffic congestion include widening Bacons Bridge Road. Long-range, he believes the Glenn McConnell Parkway should
Collins encourages citizens to participate in their town: “We have a lot of different opportunities and the city can be whatever we want it to be.”
be extended from Bees Ferry Road into Dorchester County and tie into Orangeburg Road so residents can get onto Interstate 26 using the planned Jedburg Road interchange, near Sheep
“... remember
the Lord gave you two ears and one mouth.”
Island Road, instead of all the Inter- state traffic being at the North Main Street interchange, as it is now. Another priority is for Summerville to become more business friendly. Collins wants to work with estab- lished businesses, but he also under- stands how important recruiting new commerce is to the future of Summerville. He hopes to grow the town’s revenue by nourishing growing businesses and attracting new compa-
ILoveSummerville.com |
SummervilleBuilders.com |
RetiringToCharleston.com
nies with tax credits. Collins knows the town must target the right type of businesses, those that will partner with Summerville to preserve its beauty and history. He plans to work with the econom-
ic development team to attract new job opportunities for area residents, specifically in the high-tech industry. Collins intends to spend most of his time outside Town Hall, recruiting businesses and working with other regional leaders and organizations, such as the Charleston Regional Development Alliance. To build on Summerville’s current tourism industry and to take advantage of the more than 6 million visitors who come to the Charleston area each year, Collins intends to reach out to the cruise industry. He would like to arrange one-day bus excursions for passengers to come from Charleston to tour the historic sites around
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