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Supervisor urges state to resurface Bushey Park Road, says businesses will not expand until it’s fixed
Summary
Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb told council the narrow, heavily damaged Bushey Park Road is a barrier to existing employers and to new industrial investment and urged state transportation action after private and county offers to contribute funds.
Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb told the county’s operations committee that Bushey Park Road — a narrow state-owned route the county describes as “awful” — must be resurfaced before several large employers will expand or drive employees safely to work.
Cribb said multiple defense and industrial firms that have invested in the county have offered to contribute to resurfacing, and the county has offered funds as well, but the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) — which owns the road — has not committed to the work. “I was told point blank, we will not expand here until this road gets addressed,” Cribb said during the committee discussion.
Why it matters: committee members said the road connects major job sites, including a large industrial site acquired by Newport News shipbuilding and a defense contractor, Leonardo DRS, whose representatives repeatedly asked about the road during site-selection meetings. Council members and staff warned that recurring heavy rain events and the road’s narrow shoulders create safety and operational risks for employers and residents.
Cribb outlined recent investments in the area — referencing roughly $300 million in private manufacturing investment tied to multiple companies — and said the county and two private employers have offered money for resurfacing. He said SCDOT’s standard for accepting such projects could require widening or shoulders; the county has been given a per‑mile resurfacing estimate that ranges from about $500,000 to $825,000 depending on required improvements.
Council members pressed staff for clarity about available county transportation funds and the scale of state roadway mileage the county must address. One member noted that Berkeley County receives annual County Transportation Committee (CTC) funds from the state and that the county already spends a sizable portion of its local road funds addressing state-owned routes.
No formal motion or appropriation was made at the meeting. Council members concluded the discussion by urging a coordinated effort — contacting the state delegation, the governor’s office and SCDOT — and asking staff to continue pursuing state safety and commerce funds to cover part or all of the resurfacing costs.
Ending: Cribb asked council and staff to press the state and other partners for a solution, saying the road’s condition is a practical obstacle to retaining and expanding high‑paying local jobs. Committee members agreed on the need for a “full court press” to get the project funded and scheduled follow-up with staff.
