Here are where the red lights will be once Carolina Forest Boulevard is widened
The Carolina Forest Boulevard widening project has changed to include more recreational and safety measures.
Horry County will place four additional stop lights and add a second multi-purpose path as a part of the ongoing project to expand Carolina Forest Boulevard to four lanes plus turning lanes.
County Council Member Dennis DiSabato said these changes are going to help make the road safer, especially for residents who would originally have to cross the street to get to the walking path.
“It was always a safety concern not having that second path,” DiSabato said.
Original plans included just one path that would allow folks to bike from the Kroger end of Carolina Forest over to International Drive on the side opposite of the library. Now, there will be a path on each side of the boulevard.
DiSabato said most people were going to use the path to get to the library and recreation center, and he was worried about people crossing the busy Carolina Forest Boulevard.
The four new stop lights will be added to allow for safer turning along the boulevard, DiSabato said.
Once the project is completed, there should be traffic lights at Gateway Drive, Southgate Parkway, Stoney Falls Boulevard, Shoreward Drive, Revolutionary War Way, Stafford Drive West, Stafford Drive East, Farmers Rest Drive and River Oaks Drive.
Construction for the project began in spring 2019 and is scheduled to finish in May 2021. Traffic has flowed through the area despite the road work with an occasional lane closure.
Funding for the project was provided through the RIDE III referendum approved by voters in 2016. The work has an expected budget of $54 million, according to Horry County records.
Horry County Spokesperson Kelly Moore said the new path and lights are not expected to increase the budget for the project due to savings in construction so far. It could, however, affect the final completion date.
The county will consult with the construction contractors and should have more information on how these project will affect the timeline, Moore said.
DiSabato said he is pleased the recent changes will make Carolina Forest safer.
“I’m pleased with how the work is going now,” DiSabato said. “I’m glad we were able to get the second path.”
