County to explore six SCDOT funding options for U.S. 278 corridor project on Monday
Beaufort County Council will review six alternative funding options for the U.S. 278 Corridor Project during a workshop on Monday afternoon.
These options — proposed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation — stem from a Thursday meeting in Columbia, where county and Town of Hilton Head officials met with SCDOT representatives to discuss the rising costs and potential solutions for replacing the aging Mackay Creek Bridge, according to Assistant County Administrator Jared Fralix.
Hilton Head Town council and staff are aware of the 2 p.m. Monday meeting, but as of Friday afternoon it is unknown if any town council members would attend, town spokesperson Carolyn Grant said.
The county faces a roughly $190 million shortfall after the U.S. 278 Corridor project’s total cost nearly doubled from $292 million to $488 million. If the county does not present a viable funding plan by March 31, SCDOT has warned it would end its agreements with the county and focus solely on replacing the deteriorating bridge.
The project, designed to replace the eastbound Mackay Creek Bridge and improve traffic flow between Moss Creek Drive and Spanish Wells Road, has faced delays due to rising costs and a failed sales tax referendum. The county has been left scrambling for alternative solutions while avoiding raising property taxes.
At a Jan. 9 town council workshop, Sen. Tom Davis proposed a plan to reallocate $250 million in state funds, including contributions from the State Infrastructure Bank, the South Carolina Department of Transportation and existing local funds, to construct a new three-lane eastbound bridge. This new structure would replace the structurally deficient sections of the existing eastbound span, extending from Moss Creek on the mainland to Windmill Harbor on Hilton Head Island. It would also eliminate the $190 million shortfall.
The urgency to act stems from the deteriorating condition of the eastbound bridge constructed in 1956, which inspectors have rated as “poor,” scoring four out of 10. In a Nov. 18 letter, SCDOT Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell warned that the bridge’s condition raises concerns about potential weight restrictions, which could impact emergency vehicles, commercial trucks and school buses.
If the county fails to provide a viable financial plan by the March 31 deadline, SCDOT has proposed a contingency plan: constructing a new two-lane parallel bridge south of the existing eastbound bridge at an estimated cost of $90 million, Davis said. The bridge would be designed to expand to three lanes in the future. SCDOT also suggested the county use the $80 million from the 2018 sales tax referendum to fund a second westbound span from Pinckney Island to the mainland, Davis added.
This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 2:59 PM.
