The Post & Courier
134 Columbus St.
Charleston, SC 29403
Dear Sirs:
I live at Franke at Seaside, a retirement community off Rifle Range Road near the Isle of Palms connector. On many occasions I have driven down Rifle Range Road from Coleman Boulevard almost to the connector in almost complete darkness. This is not a safe practice, but it is a necessity at times.
I was not at the Mt. Pleasant Town Council committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 6, when a woman asked for lighting along Rifle Range Road. But in reading the story in the Jan. 7 Post and Courier, I am led to believe she and her request were treated with scorn. One would thing that what she has asked to be erected was a statue of Ted Kennedy in the city park being built at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge.
I recently made a special trip down Rifle Range Road from Coleman to the connector to see if there were sufficient poles. City administrator Mark Burdette was quoted as saying it would cost $117 per light if the poles were in place and $1,700 each if new poles were required.
There are poles aplenty to hang lights from. These carry power to all the homes on the road. Less than six of these have small lights attached, usually near a residence. Perhaps the occupants of those homes did a private deal with the power company.
Mount Pleasant ought to take a deep breath and listen to the woman who asked for the lights. There is no need for new poles. Lighting this road would promote safety, and perhaps discourage criminals, reduce automobile accidents, and break-ins of automobiles parked in yards. It would also put Mt. Pleasant in the lead to becoming a modern and model city.
Francis X. Archibald
Franke Drive
Mount Pleasant
(Published Tues. Jan. 20, 2009)
