Ecologist fights 526 extension

The proposed Mark Clark extension could threaten natural ecosystems on Johns Island when it traverses land, marsh and river habitats along its path from West Ashley to James Island, College of Charleston professor and ecologist Phil Dustan said Tuesday. Dustan, a Johns Island resident and member of the island's Growth Management Committee, told about 40 people who gathered at the college's old library that the environmental impact of extending Interstate 526 would be "like building a toxic waste dump over a pristine marsh." By comparing the ecological effects from the Limehouse Bridge crossing the Stono River to Johns Island, the Stono Bridge across Maybank Highway and the James Island Connector, Dustan concluded that the Mark Clark would contribute to reduced natural habitats and more pollution if it is built and maintained like the other bridges. For example, he said the Stono Bridge casts a wide shadow that prevents sunlight from reaching vegetation below. Also, stormwater and trash washes off the road to create erosion channels and runoff pools that drain into saltwater marsh. The marsh is a biological necessity to help purify plants, trap sediments and carbons, and cultivate food for humans, such as fish, shrimp and shellfish. There's little organic life beneath those bridges, creating what Dustan calls "ecological dead zones." "When you go underneath, it's like entering the catacombs," he said. Dustan also has concerns about roadside waste. One statistic shows an average car emits a cocktail of more than 1,000 pollutants, including metal elements, chemicals and other emissions. Although the exact route for the Mark Clark has not been determined, conceptual plans suggest it will connect at U.S. Highway 17, go across the Stono River and down through Johns Island, and then loop back across the Stono River through James Island County Park to connect with Folly Road. Dustan said the Stono River would be susceptible to potential industrial waste spills from large trucks traveling on the Mark Clark. He warned that those trucks may also use I-526 as a bypass route to avoid congestion on Savannah Highway. He said building smaller roads instead of one main artery would create a network to help diffuse traffic, adding that drivers can do their part by buying more efficient cars and that more public transit could put fewer cars on the road. "Johns Island doesn't really need any more big bridges. Seriously," Dustan said.

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