Horry County’s next road-building program begins taking shape
Thirteen construction projects appear to have made the cut for Horry County’s next road-building program.
The RIDE III Sales Tax Commission, the group tasked with crafting the list of projects for a referendum next fall, on Thursday agreed that the 13 proposals supported by an advisory committee earlier this year should be on the list that goes before voters.
That slate includes the widening of Carolina Forest Boulevard, the realignment of U.S. 501 in Myrtle Beach and the expansion of Forestbrook Road.
But the 13 projects account for just $530 million of the $590 million the one percent sales tax is projected to generate.
“This list is likely to get a little longer,” said Eddie Dyer, the panel’s chairman.
What’s holding up the six-member commission’s planning are questions about other possible revenue sources for road work, including leftover money from the county’s previous road-building program (RIDE II) and an extra $20 million to $40 million that may be available when the southern extension of S.C. 31 is completed.
Although Horry County Council plans to use $16 million of the leftover RIDE II money on a new public safety radio system, there could be millions more available for other road projects.
The State Infrastructure Bank is paying for the S.C. 31 extension, and if that work comes in under budget county officials hope the bank will allow them to spend the extra money on the northern extension of 31 to the North Carolina line. Nearly $90 million is already on the RIDE III list for that project, which is expected to cost about $120 million.
Once the commission has a better idea about the money from RIDE II and the State Infrastructure Bank, they hope to add three more projects to the list: widening U.S. 701 in Loris ($7.5 million), lengthening Fred Nash Boulevard in Myrtle Beach ($19.3 million) and expanding Kings Road near Restaurant Row ($19.2 million).
Commissioners had considered widening a portion of S.C. 90 ($77.8 million) and expanding U.S. 501 to six lanes from S.C. 544 to Fourth Avenue in Conway ($72.5 million), but they agreed there wouldn’t be enough extra money for either of those.
Once commissioners develop a final list of projects — their deadline for doing this is May 17 — Horry County Council will give an up-or-down vote on the list.
If approved, the projects will then go to the voters, who have the final say on whether the penny sales tax should pay for that work.
Unlike the last road-building program, if voters support RIDE III, county officials plan to begin working on all of the 13 to 16 projects at the same time.
We feel like we can start all the projects at the same time. They’d all be being worked on and we can use the pay as you go method rather than having to finance, based on the projections we have so far.
Steve Gosnell
assistant Horry County administrator over infrastructure and regulationBy starting front end tasks such as designing, engineering and permitting for all projects simultaneously, county officials believe they can avoid a situation where a snag with one project delays those below it on the priority list.
That’s happened with some past projects and county officials said the state Department of Transportation supports beginning all the preliminary work at once.
“We feel like we can start all the projects at the same time,” said Steve Gosnell, the assistant county administrator over infrastructure and regulation. “They’d all be being worked on and we can use the pay as you go method rather than having to finance, based on the projections we have so far.”
State law requires that a priority list of roads be placed on the ballot for this kind of sales tax referendum, but county officials said they can begin the work simultaneously as long as everything the voters supported gets completed.
“We’ve got that flexibility,” Gosnell said. “Once we get through design, we’ll have a better idea of cost estimates.”
Should most of the money from other revenue sources become available, Dyer said there could even be funding to shore up any of the original 13 projects that come in over budget. As former chief operating officer at Coastal Carolina University, Dyer said he learned projections don’t always pan out.
“Things always cost more than somebody told you,” he said.
Charles D. Perry: 843-626-0218, @TSN_CharlesPerr
The 13 projects on the RIDE III list (not prioritized)
1. U.S. 501 improvements
Description: Project calls for six-lane widening from S.C. 31 to S.C. 544 interchange. It 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.
Cost: $50 million
2. Paving dirt roads
Description: This involves paving 100 of the 645 miles of county dirt roads. County staff will provide the commission with a list of high priority roads.
Cost: $60 million
3. Resurfacing roads
Description: Resurfacing 100 miles of roads. Officials said the repaving money could be spent on local or state roads.
Cost: $15 million
4. Beach realignment of U.S. 501
Description: Located in Myrtle Beach, this project would reroute 501 at the intersection with Broadway Street by connecting the major thoroughfare with 7th Avenue North.
Cost: $13.9 million
5. Southern Evacuation Lifeline (SELL)
Description: RIDE III money would not pay for completing this 27-mile project, which is estimated to cost about $650 million and would create a link between the South Strand and the inland. Officials say the $25 million proposed for RIDE III would pay for environmental studies and right of way land purchases near the Waccamaw River.
Cost: $25 million
6. Conway perimeter road
Description: Nearly two miles long, this road would be built along with a multi-use trail from U.S. 378 to U.S. 701 South.
Cost: $18.4 million
7. Forestbrook Road widening
Description: Project 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 includes accommodations for pedestrians and cyclists such as sidewalks and wider travel lanes.
Cost: $89.1 million
8. Carolina Forest Boulevard widening
Description: Project would widen and add traffic lights in a nearly 5 miles of Carolina Forest's main artery. it includes a multi-use trail, too.
Cost: $54.7 million
9. S.C. 9 East improvements in Loris
Description: Expand road to four lanes from the point where the highway currently narrows to Highway 66 - about 1.2 miles. Road passes near schools. Project would also include curb/gutter addition and sidewalks.
Cost: $21.7 million
10. U.S. 701 North widening
Description: Four-mile project would widen U.S. 701 North from S.C. 319 to S.C. 22. Additionally, it includes sidewalks and wider travel lanes.
Cost: $65.1 million
11. South Strand intersection enhancements
Description: 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
Description: Project would extend road to S.C. 544 and include sidewalks and wider travel lanes. Just under a mile, this construction will 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.
Cost: $7.5 million.
13. S.C. 31 extension to North Carolina
Description: RIDE III would not pay for the full cost of this construction, though it would cover most of it, officials said. The nearly 5-mile extension would take S.C. 31 to the North Carolina border. Dyer said local leaders have been in talks with North Carolina officials about what that state will do on its side of the line. The overall project tops $120 million. Officials said additional funding would have to be identified.
Cost: $120 million ($89.9 million on list)
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 7:44 PM with the headline "Horry County’s next road-building program begins taking shape."