Golf cart crossing to link Market Common, Myrtle Beach State Park

Golf carts will soon have a path crossing Kings Highway allowing safe passage from The Market Common to the Myrtle Beach State Park.

The Horry County Transportation Committee on Tuesday approved a $28,000 request from state Rep. Alan Clemmons to make the needed improvements at the Center South Shopping Plaza to accommodate the vehicles.

The state legislature recently changed the law to allow golf carts to access state parks, and the only entry point for golf carts to access the Myrtle Beach park is at that existing stoplight, Clemmons said.

“In (The) Market Common, there are many golf carts and there has been huge demands for access to the state park,” Clemmons said. “It was illegal for them to use bike paths or travel down Kings Highway, so this is the only way they can access it.”

The estimated cost includes installing a new crosswalk, revising the signaling for traffic lights, installing signals and timers to alert cart drivers to light changes, and providing a path through the concrete island for the new crosswalk. No time table for construction has been established.

“It’s a good project,” said George Vereen, chairman of the committee. “It will make it a lot safer for them to go to the state park without gumming up Highway 17, which is extremely dangerous.”

The Horry County Transportation committee determines the spending of funds derived from the 2.66 cent per gallon state gasoline taxes that are returned to the county. Horry County’s apportionment this year is $2.4 million.

This story was originally published August 9, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Golf cart crossing to link Market Common, Myrtle Beach State Park."