The Greater Hardeeville Chamber of Commerce

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HARDEEVILLE SOUTH CAROLINA GATEWAY TO THE LOWCOUNTRY

GATEWAY LANDSCAPING AT THE I-95 SOUTH ENTRANCE IN JASPER COUNTY

The $1,194,292.90 contract awarded by the South Carolina Department of Transportation for landscaping at the I-95 south entrance to the state Final was accepted 11/26/02 with the exemption of 1-year guarantee.

Bids were opened August 14, 2001. The low bidder was Shamrock International Corporation of Louisville, Kentucky. Six companies submitted bids.

A gateway with 12-foot tall brick posts and long, white fences has been built.

A sign-like structure in the median bears the image of a palmetto tree.

A flagpole has been installed in the median, behind the guardrail. The national and state flag are flying from the flagpole. The flagpole and the signs are lit at night.

The landscaping consists of Live Oaks; Bald Cypress; Magnolias; Palmettos; Crape Myrtles; Canna Lilies; Daylilies; Flowering Quince; ornamental grasses, and various other shrubs. Most of the plant material have been planted.

A sprinkler system has been installed to water the plant material.

The landscaping plans were designed by Ken Simmons of Kenneth B. Simmons Associates, a local Landscape Architectural firm, under the directions of the Department.

This project will be constructed in two phases; there are plans for additional landscaping and other work at the entrance to the state in the second phase.

The Department has a Five-Year plan for enhancing the Interstate Route entrances to the state and strategically located interchanges to provide color every 15 minutes or every 25 miles along our highways. A strategic objective of this plan for beautifying highways is to seek "partners" who will provide long-term maintenance.

There are plans to create gateways at the other interstate entrances of the state.

Jasper County Council has agreed to provide long-term maintenance to the landscaping at the gateway after the one-year guarantee by the contractor is completed.

This "partnership" allows more extensive landscaping to be installed than if the Department had to provide long-term maintenance. The Department has limited manpower and funds to maintain extensive landscaping.

For additional information, contact the Office of Beautification Programs in Columbia at (803) 737-1953 and ask for Timothy Edwards.