[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 93 (Thursday, July 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING COMPLETION OF PHASE ONE OF THE JOHN N. HARDEE AIRPORT 
                               EXPRESSWAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 8, 2004

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I along with my colleague, 
Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, would like to take this opportunity to 
commemorate the completion of Phase One of the John N. Hardee Airport 
Expressway. This will be announced to the people of South Carolina at a 
ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, July 10. The completion of this 2.8 
mile expressway will provide easy and direct access to the Columbia 
Metropolitan Airport.
  This expressway, which widened Airport Road from Airport Boulevard in 
Cayce to Platt Springs Road in Springdale, will make a vast difference 
in the way South Carolinians and visitors commute to the airport. We 
are looking forward to the next and final phase of the project, which 
is currently under design and should begin construction in 2006. This 
will provide for a new four-lane road extending Airport Road to 
Interstate 26. Coupled with the success of the John N. Hardee 
Expressway, these two new roadways will reduce traffic and provide 
direct access to the growing Columbia Metropolitan Airport by passenger 
and cargo vehicles, removing some 25,000 vehicles each year from the 
local network surrounding the airport.
  We would like to thank the people at the South Carolina Department of 
Transportation (SCDOT) for all of their hard work in completing this 
important project. Mrs. Elizabeth Mabry, Executive Director of SCDOT, 
and Mr. John Hardee, SCDOT Second District Commissioner for whom the 
expressway is named, thank you for your tireless dedication in getting 
this phase of the project completed. This expressway will be helpful to 
the people of the entire state of South Carolina, and for this you are 
appreciated.

                          ____________________