Interstate 73 construction vital to area, needs county and cities funding
Construction of the Southern leg of Interstate 73 – the Grand Strand’s needed connection to the Interstate Highway System – has recent positive developments, including a helpful public opinion poll and a financing proposal in Horry County Council.
Public opinion on specific public works projects can be important tools in winning support of elected officials such as state legislators, particularly those from the Upstate. They aren’t easily convinced that I-73 will be good for most of South Carolina.
Karen Riordan, CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, made that point in explaining that the chamber commissioned the poll to have up-to-date data to show state lawmakers. “I wanted to make sure we had the most current finger on the pulse of how voters were thinking.”
The poll was done in late July by Starboard Communications of Columbia, a political consulting firm. By phone, 405 South Carolina voters said they support construction of I-73 from I-95 near Florence to S.C. 22 (Veterans Highway) in Horry County. The minimum level of support was 73%, prior to having more information about the project, and 79% after pollsters gave respondents information about its benefits: economic and public safety as a hurricane evacuation route.
I-73 OPPOSITION
In the 7th Congressional District, including Horry, Georgetown and five other counties plus parts of Florence County, 82% of voters support funding and building I-73. The 7th District has been represented by Tom Rice of Myrtle Beach since the district was formed after the 2010 Census gave South Carolina a seventh representative in Congress.
Rice consistently has supported constructing I-73; it will be interesting to see how Rice’s potential Republican primary opponents line up on the matter. U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham has been criticized for his support of the Biden Administration’s infrastructure proposal. Critics of Rice and Graham seem not to understand the bipartisan, even nonpartisan, aspect of infrastructure.
The initial plan for I-73, a generation ago, envisioned a highway from Ste. Sault Marie, Michigan, to Myrtle Beach. Only North Carolina and Michigan have built significant segments of I-73. In North Carolina, I-73 and I-74 run together. Other states have designated I-73 on highways such as U.S. 23 in Ohio. On maps of construction progress, S.C. 22 is also shown as a “needs upgrade” segment of I-73.
Constructing the Southern leg of I-73 is a federal, state and local deal. Some elected officials – including Horry County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner – say “Horry County cannot put one penny toward I-73 … until the federal government … and the state government [make] a commitment.”
Interstate 73 may get a boost with Gov. Henry McMaster’s reported announcement Monday in Myrtle Beach to propose use of $300 million in COVID relief funds to help pay for the highway.
THREE LAYERS
That position is a problem. The more practical idea is the county and cities commitment makes it easier for state lawmakers and the federal government to allocate money. As Riordan said, “This is a very important three layer cake … we’re past the point of saying, `I’ll do it if you’ll do it.’ “
This past week, the Horry County Council delayed voting on a proposal from Council Member Dennis DiSabato that would put aside money for I-73 from the county’s 1.5% hospitality fee. This was the subject of an intergovernment lawsuit. The county delay was because administrators from the county, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach are meeting to discuss how much each municipality might commit.
The council did approve DiSabato’s proposal for improvements to S.C. Highway 90, the former rural highway (Conway to Little River) congested by two decades of nearly uncontrolled growth. Credit DiSabato for taking a leadership role on financing both improvements to 90 and constructing I-73.
Highway 90 improvements are sorely needed, a no-contest OK for county council members. They and their counterparts on city councils must also look at the economic and public safety factors that make financing I-73 so important for the future.
This story was originally published October 3, 2021 at 5:00 AM.