New projects being considered for Horry County’s next road-building program

If Horry County’s next road-building program brings in the extra $60 million officials project it will, how should the money be spent?

County officials and a special sales tax commission will ponder that question in the coming weeks, and they’ve already floated a few ideas.

The proposals include widening U.S. 701 in Loris, expanding U.S. 501 from S.C. 544 to Conway’s Fourth Avenue bridge and widening Kings Road near Restaurant Row.

The RIDE III Commission — the panel tasked with creating the final list of projects for voters to consider — asked county staff to estimate the cost of the three new plans.

Commissioners are also reviewing two projects that had been discussed but did not make the list an advisory panel developed earlier this year. One is widening S.C. 90 from Nixon Crossroads to Robert Edge Parkway. The other involves connecting Fred Nash Boulevard with Coastal Grand mall.

Here’s a look at the new projects for consideration, the ones being reviewed again and those already on the list:

New projects

1. Widening U.S. 701

Based on the committee’s last meeting, this project has a good chance of making the RIDE III list. The $7.5 million construction would widen U.S. 701 in Loris to three lanes from just above the S.C. 9 Business intersection all the way to S.C. 9 Bypass. County staff had looked at making the road four lanes, but they said that would have had too much impact on adjacent property.

2. Widening U.S. 501

Although county officials haven’t developed any estimates yet, they suspect the cost of this project will likely price it out of RIDE III. The proposal is to widen U.S. 501 to six lanes from S.C. 544 to the bridge over Fourth Avenue in Conway. This means the Waccamaw River bridge would also have to be widened, and the potential environmental impact could drive the price up even higher. “Those are two significant costs,” said Steve Gosnell, the assistant county administrator for infrastructure and regulation.

3. Widening Kings Road

Former County Councilman Brent Schulz now sits on the RIDE III commission and he’s pushing for the widening of Kings Road to three lanes between Lake Arrowhead Road and Chestnut Road. Schulz said the traffic around Kingston Plantation becomes snarled in the summer and the additional lane would help alleviate some of the problems. “It’s pretty much built out in there,” he said. “With the congestion, you can’t get in to Kingston Plantation let alone get out of it. On Chestnut Road, you can’t turn left onto Kings Road. But there’s a lot of money generated in that area.”

Schulz also suggested realigning the intersection of Kings and Chestnut and adding a stoplight there. Years ago, he said, the intersection improvement was projected to cost about $2.5 million. The cost of widening the road hasn’t been calculated yet.

Revisited projects

1. Fred Nash Boulevard Extension

Commissioner Danny Brown Jr. of Myrtle Beach wants the extension of Fred Nash Boulevard to be added to RIDE III. The $19.3 million project would create an easy way for drivers at The Market Common to access Coastal Grand mall. In other words, they could bypass U.S. 17 Bypass.

2. S.C. 90 widening

Various widening projects have been discussed for S.C. 90, including a proposal to expand the stretch between Nixon Crossroads and Robert Edge Parkway. The $78 million project came close to making the original RIDE III list, but there wasn’t enough money for it. If this project has any hope of being included in the final package, other revenue sources must be identified.

Projects already on the list

1. U.S. 501 improvements

This involves the six-lane widening of U.S. 501 from S.C. 31 to the S.C. 544 interchange. The $50 million project also includes improving parallel roads. Postal Way would be extended east to Waccamaw Pines. Additionally, Middle Ridge Drive would be extended in both directions: east to West Perry Road and west to Singleton Ridge Road. Intersection improvements would be included as well.

2. Paving dirt roads

Paving 100 of the 645 miles of county dirt roads would cost about $60 million. County staff would provide the commission with a list of high priority roads.

3. Resurfacing roads

For about $15 million, the county could resurface 100 miles of roads. Officials said the repaving money could be spent on local or state roads.

4. Beach realignment of U.S. 501

This project would reroute U.S. 501 in Myrtle Beach at the Broadway Street intersection by connecting the major thoroughfare with Seventh Avenue North. It’s expected to cost $13.9 million.

5. Southern Evacuation Lifeline (SELL)

RIDE III cannot pay for all of this 27-mile project, which is estimated to cost about $650 million. Officials say $25 million could pay for environmental studies and right of way land purchases near the Waccamaw River. If the road is eventually built, it would create a link between the South Strand and inland. Officials say it would help with hurricane evacuations.

6. Conway perimeter road

Nearly two miles long, this $18.4 million road and a multi-use trail would be built from U.S. 378 to U.S. 701 South.

7. Forestbrook Road widening

This would cover 4.5 miles and widen and/or add turn lanes to the busy connector road from U.S. 501 to Dick Pond Road. It also would include accommodations for pedestrians and cyclists such as sidewalks and wider travel lanes. Cost: $89.1 million.

8. Carolina Forest Boulevard widening

Frequently congested Carolina Forest Boulevard would be widened under this plan and traffic lights would be installed, along with a multi-use trail. Cost: $54.7 million

9. S.C. 9 East improvements in Loris

The project involves expanding S.C. 9 to four lanes from the point where the highway currently narrows to Highway 66 - about 1.2 miles. The $21.7 million project would also include curb/gutter addition and sidewalks.

10. U.S. 701 North widening

This four-mile project would widen U.S. 701 North from S.C. 319 to S.C. 22. It would also include sidewalks and wider travel lanes. Cost: $65.1 million

11. South Strand intersection enhancements

This proposal calls for improvements to U.S. 17 Business intersections at Inlet Square Drive, Atlantic Avenue and the Garden City Connector. Cost: $19.8 million

12. Palmetto Pointe Boulevard extension

Under this plan, Palmetto Pointe Boulevard would be extended to S.C. 544. The $7.5 million project would include sidewalks and wider travel lanes. Just under a mile, this construction would eventually be paid for by the developer of some nearby property. Officials say the developer must reimburse the county for the cost of the road once his commercial development reaches a specific benchmark.

13. S.C. 31 extension to North Carolina

The nearly 5-mile extension would take S.C. 31 to the North Carolina border. North Carolina leaders recently voiced support for the project and said they would handle the connecting infrastructure in the Tar Heel state. Horry County leaders insist this project could help alleviate traffic problems in Little River and North Myrtle Beach by linking S.C. 31 to the I-74 network.

Until recently, RIDE III’s projected revenues did not include enough money for all of this $120 million project. Nearly $90 million had been set aside, but officials were unsure about where the final dollars would come from. Two sources have been identified as possible solutions: leftover money from the RIDE II program and unused funding from the southern extension of S.C. 31 that’s under construction now. Both resources would require approval from different bodies: County Council for the RIDE II funds and the state’s Transportation Infrastructure Bank for the S.C. 31 money.

What’s next?

Commissioners have until May 17 to develop a list of projects to be funded by the sales tax. Horry County Council will then give an up-or-down vote on the list. If approved, the proposal would then go to the voters, who have the final say on whether the tax should pay for that work.

If the referendum passes, officials would start collecting the tax in May 2017.

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 10:43 AM with the headline "New projects being considered for Horry County’s next road-building program."