No more bypassing the light at the intersection of Bluffton Road and highway 278. Here’s why
Drivers heading to Hilton Head from Bluffton should get used to turning right at the light on Bluffton Road as the South Carolina Department of Transportation works to remove the acceleration lane onto U.S. 278
The acceleration lane, which bypasses the traffic light putting drivers directly onto 278, was experiencing a higher than normal number of crashes, SCDOT said. The engineers say it’s because of the the lane’s short length, which doesn’t give drivers much time to merge, especially into rush hour traffic.
Another factor they’d like to improve at the intersection is pedestrian safety. After reviewing the intersection, SCDOT determined that the problem would be alleviated by containing the intersection to standard traffic light control.
The work is scheduled to be completed in March of next year. Until then, drivers can still turn right at the intersection, but have to do so at the light.
Plans to improve the intersection, and others along the 278 corridor, have been in place since 2019 when a self-audit of the highway revealed it to be one of the most dangerous roads in SC, when measured by crash rates.
This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 10:07 AM.
