Sidewalk project linking Surfside Beach, Garden City

The sidewalks of Surfside Beach will finally connect with those in Garden City.

Horry County officials recently secured more than $500,000 to build an 8-foot wide path between the two communities.

“This is something that has been really a need for Garden City from a recreational standpoint and from a residential and safety standpoint,” said County Councilman Tyler Servant, who represents the South Strand. “It’s something that Garden City has needed for a long, long time.”

Surfside Beach’s sidewalks along Ocean Boulevard stop where the town limits end at Melody Lane.

For nearly half a mile, the road has no paths on either side of the road. In Garden City, the sidewalk begins on the western side of the street at Woodland Drive.

Servant said he’s heard concerns about the void from residents for years.

“It’s something that this area has really, really wanted,” he said.

The total cost of the project is just over $658,500, with the S.C. Department of Transportation allocating $526,800 and the county chipping in a $131,700 match. County officials learned the DOT funding had been approved this week.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall, said county spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier. The price tag includes the cost of piping and drainage work on the northwest side of Waccamaw Drive.

The multipurpose path will be part of the East Coast Greenway, a developing 2,900-mile network of paths designed to run from Canada to Key West, Florida.

“It’s going to be a beautiful thing,” said Dennis Permenter, project director with Oceanside Village, a South Strand community of 1,100 homes.

Although he’s mildly concerned about golf cart owners trying to use the path, Permenter said the sidewalk should be an asset to those who enjoy walking down the South Strand.

“It’s going to be a nice place for a person to walk and not be in the road and not be on the side of the road and stepping in water and things like that,” he said. “From the plans I’ve seen, it’s a real plus.”

This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Sidewalk project linking Surfside Beach, Garden City."