[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 99 (Friday, July 16, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1392]]
                 THE JOHN N. HARDEE AIRPORT EXPRESSWAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 15, 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 12. 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 to 
Platt Springs Road, 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.

                          ____________________