CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – The city is moving forward with a plan that could allow concrete crushing near the Wild Wing community.

Barbara Eisenhardt is one of several people living in Wild Wing who don’t want a concrete crushing plant near their homes. 

“I implore you to listen to the people that are your tax base,” Eisenhardt said to city council Monday.

Vulcan Materials Company wants to use the land off Yeager Avenue, near several other industrial sites.

“When we see the particulate matter that’s in the air from the existing concrete factories that are over there, and Vulcan hasn’t even opened or started to do anything yet, we’re desperately worried about the health, safety and welfare of the people in our community,” said Eisenhardt.

Conway’s city council gave final approval Monday to annex and rezone the land, allowing Vulcan to try and build a concrete crushing facility. The city’s planning commission didn’t approve the rezoning in April, but city council members unanimously supported the plan.

Jimmy Fleming, who’s the vice president for permitting and external relations for Vulcan, says concrete crushing wouldn’t happen very often on the site and that dust in the air isn’t a concern.

“We’re actually going to be reducing things in the air, first of all, because we’re going to be bringing in material by rail,” Fleming said.

Vulcan used the site before, but stopped in 2001 because rail service there ended.

Fleming says using trains over trucks could cut down on traffic on U.S. Highway 501.

“It’s a tremendous asset to have the rail facility there, but you have to use it to make it a viable asset,” he said.

Eisenhardt says another concern is that the site is near Aspen Heights, a college student development opening in the fall.

“They’re moving their kids into a location for student housing that’s right next to carcinogenic silica, that’s going to be done with stone crushing,” she said.

Fleming says there’s still a long way to go before any concrete crushing would start.

He says the next step is for Vulcan to design the site, then pursue permits.