Boeing brings construction jobs, traffic concerns to SC

The Post and Courier has a story this morning on Boeing’s new 787 facility in South Carolina.

In October, Boeing picked Charleston over Everett as the home of its second 787 production site. The company plans to break ground at its new South Carolina location next Friday.

The contractors have been given 22 months to build the factory. That could mean between 600 and 700 construction jobs at the peak, Luther Cochrane, CEO for contractor BE&K told the newspaper.

And here’s where it gets interesting: Those construction workers will add “to the traffic in an already highly traveled corridor that includes the airport, a major shopping destination, hotels and the Charleston Area Convention Center.”

The Charleston County Council is meeting today to determine whether to spend $150,000 for a study on how to address traffic near Boeing’s new site.

I’m sure many readers will remember that Boeing and local government officials butted heads in the early 1990s when Boeing’s 777 expansion meant $50 million in transportation and infrastructure costs.

Also check out the reader comments to the Post and Courier story for locals’ reaction to the traffic issue and their concerns about who will get those construction jobs.

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