Gullah Geechee Community Responds to New U.S. Route 278 Expansion

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – The approval of the Highway 278 expansion project by the Town of Hilton Head Island has been met with mixed reactions from community members, particularly the Gullah Geechee community in the historic Stoney neighborhood.

Community Resistance

The Highway 278 project has been a long-debated plan which includes the construction of six lanes through the Stoney community. Louise Miller Cohen, a prominent Gullah community member and founder of the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, has constantly voiced her opposition to this idea at numerous meetings for the expansion. She argued, “If the bridge needs to be repaired, repair it. If the bridge needs to be replaced, replace it. But then, we still don’t need six lanes through the Stoney community.”

Provisions for the Stoney Community

The project outline has stipulated some measures to improve the Stoney community, including working with property owners to mitigate project impacts, and the establishment of a new park that will feature Gullah Geechee heritage. There are concerns amongst community members, specifically Cohen, that these promises may not be fulfilled. Such hopes have been raised, and dashed, in the past. She urges the authorities to stand by their word and make these happen, lest they face the ire of the community thereafter.

Stoney Community Guidelines Key to Project Approval

The town council has recently granted approval to the project, and the Stoney community guidelines form a crucial part of the approved outline. Shawn Colin, Assistant Town Manager of Hilton Head Island, affirms the importance of these components in ensuring the project serves the broader Hilton Head, the Stoney Community, and the Lowcountry residents and reflects positively on everyone. As per his views, these guidelines need to be “built in to the DNA of the project.”

Conclusion

While the expansion project continues to divide opinions, it’s clear that the potential impact on the Stoney community – both physical and cultural – will be a focal point of debate in the weeks and months to come. It will be paramount that the voices of the Stoney community are heard and prioritized as the project goes forward and details on the completion timeline continue to emerge.