Six options SCDOT gave Beaufort County for the US 278 project. Costs vary by $378M

Beaufort County Council reviewed six alternative funding options for the U.S. 278 Corridor project ranging from $89 million to $467 million during a workshop Monday afternoon.



These options — proposed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation — stem from a meeting last week 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 members Alan Perry, Tamara Becker, Alex Brown and Melinda Tunner were present at the Monday workshop.



The county has secured $298 million in funding but still 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.

What are the options?

1. $257.7M - Lifeline option without multiuse pathway

• Includes a three-lane bridge with breakdown lanes

• The bridge would be stripped for two-lanes

• Cost Comparison: The costs of half the project may not necessarily be half the total cost

2. $319.3M - Lifeline option with multiuse pathway.

• Includes a three-lane bridge with breakdown lanes

• Includes a protected muttiuse pathway

3. $273.7M - Lifeline option without multiuse pathway

• Includes three lanes eastbound from Moss Creek to Spanish Wells Road

4. $340.8M - Lifeline option with multiuse pathway

• Includes three lanes eastbound from Moss Creek to Spanish Wells Road

• A protected multiuse pathway on the bridge, and a pathway connection to Moss Creek and Jenkins Island

5. $466.8M - Full project cost anticipated for 2024

6. $88.6M - Replacement of only the MacKay Creek eastbound bridge

Option three or four may take longer to progress through the process and construction phases, according to a packet provided to council members. Additionally, projects outside the bridge scope could be included in the Lowcountry Area Transportation Study for programming and funding considerations.

What’s next?

A joint meeting between the town and county councils is scheduled for Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. in Buckwalter to discuss next steps. No decision will be made at this meeting. However, once a decision is made, construction is planned to begin in 2027.

More coverage to come this week

Over the course of the next several days, The Island Packet will follow up with additional reporting on several points made in the meeting including:

• More complete cost breakdown of the six options
• Council member’s early evaluations of the options
• Timeline considerations for each of the options
• An explanation of why the two spans have differing safety scores and life expediencies

This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 8:30 AM.

Isabella Douglas

The Island Packet

Isabella Douglas is the accountability reporter for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette. A graduate of the University of Florida, she has spent time reporting for The Independent Florida Alligator, Fresh Take Florida and New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a concentration in criminology.