Construction, visitors bring upheaval to US 501 driving. Routes to avoid congestion
Traffic along U.S. 501 from Conway to Carolina Forest has been more hectic than usual.
Horry County’s widening project has brought upheaval along the heavily traveled highway, which has only increased as the summer season brings an increase in visitors heading to the beach.
The highway is a main thoroughfare for those traveling from Conway to Myrtle Beach.
It can take up to two hours to get off the busy highway depending on when and where are driving because of the congestion. U.S. 501 in Horry County tracked around 56,800 drivers a year, according to SCDOT data.
The county’s $50 million widening project will be completed by Fall 2026, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. But until, drivers will have to face road closures and lane shifts.
Construction and traffic crews are blocking some lanes along 501 as well as University Boulevard, Singleton Ridge Road and Century Circle, all of which are roads around Coastal Carolina University. These roads will open up around early August, SCDOT Media Relations Manager Hannah Robinson said.
But there are ways to get around the traffic on 501 or avoid it altogether.
- Consider taking S.C. 22 which links Conway west of 501 to U.S. 17 north of Myrtle Beach. To get to 22, drive along U.S. 701 through downtown Conway, which then leads to S.C. 22. While it may add a few extra miles to your trip, it will keep you moving without the stop-and-go delays that usually happen on U.S. 501 as both S.C. 22 and U.S. 31 are red-light free.
S.C. 544 (Dick Pond Road) runs parallel to U.S. 501 from Conway through Socastee to Surfside Beach. Once the roadway intersects with S.C. 31, drivers can continue south on Carolina Bays Parkway into Myrtle Beach.
Robert M. Grissom Parkway is a connector in Myrtle Beach that runs from the airport to Carolina Forest. It links S.C. 31 to Harrelson Boulevard/U.S. 17 Bypass. After merging off S.C. 31, this route helps bypass central Myrtle Beach traffic.
Drivers can exit onto S.C. 544, take S.C. 31 South and then to Robert M. Grissom Parkway or U.S. 17 Bypass.
Driving on U.S. 501
Drivers can also turn farther east along 501 instead of their typical routes, such as turning on Victory Lane near Horry-Georgetown Technical College instead of University Boulevard.
This detour will take you to an intersection with Technology Boulevard. If you take a right, it will take you back to University Boulevard where you can continue your route while avoiding the busy 501 intersection.
You can also take William Finlayson Road instead of Singleton Ridge Road, and Winyah Road instead of Century Circle.
This first detour cuts by the restaurant El Patio and brings you to the roundabout normally accessed by Singleton Ridge. Winyah Road takes you to an intersection with Century Circle. Taking the first left allows you to resume your route.