Harrelson Boulevard completion pushed back by two weeks

Colder weather has pushed back the opening of the Harrelson Boulevard extension at Myrtle Beach International Airport by two weeks to late January.

Lauren Morris, marketing director of Horry County Airports, said airport officials had spoken with city leaders in Myrtle Beach about how best to proceed. One of the options was to open Harrelson Boulevard at the beginning of January, but have lane closures in order to finish last-minute paving, underground utility work and landscaping.

Instead, it was decided to simply push back the opening to around Jan. 23.

“That’s building in some extra time in case we have some more weather issues,” Morris said. “We just felt like we needed to get the project done and get on with life.”

The Harrelson Boulevard extension will go all the way to Kings Highway and is just one of the many changes at Myrtle Beach International Airport.

As construction continues on the $118 million terminal expansion project, which is set for completion in late 2012, parking lots are being shifted to help accommodate the building of bigger parking areas and the onslaught of holiday travelers.

Morris said overflow lots have been shifted to access the new terminal roads. Signs are in place to direct travelers as to where to park.

“If it’s convenient for people, and it’s not too much of a hassle, we always suggest that someone drop you off,” Morris said.

There is another option travelers can take advantage of, and that’s Coast RTA’s $12 roundtrip shuttle service to and from the airport.

“I think, for students, it’s particularly useful,” Morris said.

Coast director Myers Rollins said this shuttle service was first introduced to Coastal Carolina University students for the recent Thanksgiving holiday. The public transit system received 111 requests for rides to the airport.

“It was wonderful. It really exceeded our expectations,” Rollins said.

He added that every student who reserved was waiting for the bus when it was time for pick-up.

Coast has already received a dozen requests for the upcoming winter break, Rollins said.

“We have received some requests directly from out-of-town parents,” he said. “I just think that it’s further evidence that there’s demand for better and more reliable public transportation.”

As to how many travelers were expected over the holidays,’ Morris didn’t have exact estimates. In 2010, there were 41,000 deplanements in December, as well as almost 42,000 enplanements.

“We had over 80,000 in and out of the airport last December alone,” Morris said.