Dunbar Creek Bridge meeting draws overflow crowd

Gordon Jackson, The Brunswick News, Ga.
·2 min read
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Jun. 13—St. Simons Island residents who attended a meeting Monday to discuss a possible replacement for the Dunbar Creek Bridge were less than enthusiastic about most of the options presented.

They were adamantly and unanimously opposed to the three- and four-lane options at the Brunswick Area Transportation Study meeting, with some expressing if there was a need to even replace the aging bridge, built in 1960.

During the public comment period, one speaker drew laughter and applause when he said a lower load capacity on the bridge leading to fewer trucks on the island wouldn't upset many people.

Matt Bennett, project manager, told the standing-room-only crowd at the Pate Building that different factors including safety, environmental impacts, right-of-ways and public support will be considerations used to determine the best way to proceed based on public comments.

"We will assess these comments," he said. "This is a process to be followed."

Bennett emphasized a four-lane bridge is "not to done deal."

Island resident Brian Turner said he and nearly everyone he knows are opposed to a three- or four-lane replacement bridge.

"We feel like it would be a travesty to our community," he said. "These are our homes. We don't want to have a massive, four-lane road destroy our trees."

Mark Jicha said he and his wife have lived in Hamilton Landing for more than 30 years and has seen the traffic issues evolve on the island. Widening this and other roads on the island will increase traffic problems, he said.

'We therefore absolutely oppose any plan that includes expanding Sea Island Road beyond the current two-lane footprint that exists," he said.

Richard Morton, a retired transportation expert, said it doesn't take a four-lane study to show this one is "very flawed."

Bob Duncan said safety is a concern and widening the bridge will lead to more accidents in the area. If the widening is driven by safety, Duncan suggested more law enforcement might be a better solution.

"Faster is not better," he said. "I've never seen a design that can fix bad driving behavior."