Letters to the Editor

Better Way to Live

The argument for extending I-526 should not be about getting to the Citadel Mall five minutes earlier, or the airport 15 minutes earlier.

The concern should be for a better way to live, with less stress, less pollution and a higher quality of life.

The suggestions put forward by the engineering firm of Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin are based on proven traffic engineering principles that are being adopted throughout the United States by major cities with far worse traffic issues than Charleston.

More importantly, the solutions will also give James Island a town center, West Ashley a waterfront on the Ashley River and neighborhoods along Savannah Highway places to shop locally, thus reducing the need for long-ranging traffic in this day of high fuel prices and greenhouse gases.

Charleston will continue to grow and creating more roads will not solve the problems of moving more people.

Glatting Jackson has shown Charleston a way to transform itself into a more vibrant metropolitan area, which focuses on people, not traffic, and on creating a far more livable place, rather than on another super highway with pollution-belching trucks and tailgating 85 mph traffic, which is so characteristic of I-526.

PHILLIP DUSTAN

Burden Creek Road

Johns Island