Iconic Hilton Head intersection will be redesigned. Here’s when
Traffic on Sea Pines Circle may be slow, but change has been even slower.
Efforts to alleviate congestion through the iconic Hilton Head roundabout have spanned more than a decade of public hearings, traffic studies, town workshops and committee meetings.
New movement on the project now signals that the design phase is just around the corner.
Under a proposed agreement with the Town of Hilton Head Island, the South Carolina Department of Transportation would lead initial efforts to redesign the major intersection.
The agreement is attached to the the agenda for an upcoming Finance and Administrative Committee meeting. The committee will review and vote on the agreement Monday.
According to the agreement, SCDOT will hire an engineering consultant, who is expected to been work on the project in Fall 2026. Preliminary design drawings and a rough construction cost estimate will be ready for discussion in late Spring 2027.
The town is providing $300,000 to SCDOT for this initial development phase. The scope of improvements may span from the roundabout out to the Sea Pines Gate, New Orleans Road, Arrow Road and Target Road.
The project seeks to alleviate congestion and improve safety for vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians.
What are the issues with Sea Pines Circle?
Several studies and public hearings have been conducted to understand congestion and safety problems in Sea Pines Circle.
The roundabout is a major intersection on Hilton Head Island, connecting travelers from William Hilton Parkway and Palmetto Bay Road to key tourism areas like Coligny Beach and Sea Pines.
The single-lane traffic circle is prone to frequent backups during peak hours. Traffic is especially bad for vehicles exiting Sea Pines.
Vehicles are often observed “queue jumping”; instead of getting in the correct lane to take them through the roundabout, meaning some vehicles will stay in the right turn lane and merge into the correct lane at the very end.
The area experiences a high volume of crashes, although it has seen fewer fatal crashes compared to other areas on Hilton Head, data show.
At an Oct. 22, 2024 Town Council Workshop, engineer Johnathan Guy with Kimley-Horn and Associates drew particular attention to a “clustering” of crashes as drivers approach the roundabout and suddenly realize they’re in the wrong lane.
“You’re in the right lane as your approaching that and you realize, ‘I do not want to go to Greenwood’,” Guy said. “So what do I do? I immediately start to merge over, I don’t pay attention, I sideswipe somebody, or I rear-end someone.”
