Beaufort County faces deadline on replacing Hilton Head bridge. What were the issues?
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Beaufort County Council voted to continue negotiations with the State Infrastructure Bank for the U.S. 278 Corridor Project Monday. But, the timeline is tight.
In less than 10 days, the council will reconvene with a revised proposal that addresses all of the SIB’s concerns for the project. The decision comes after the SIB rejected the county’s joint resolution last week following a March 31 deadline to submit a viable funding plan for the deteriorating Mackay Creek Bridge. Coming up on hurricane season, the bridge’s vulnerability adds urgency to the county’s efforts to secure funding and maintain project control.
If the SIB still does not approve the plan within a 30-day window, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has warned it would proceed with its own version of a replacement.
On May 15, county and state representatives spoke with the SIB Chairman John White to better understand why the county’s proposal was rejected. The following key issues were cited in response:
The proposed funding sequence conflicted with the existing intergovernmental agreement, which required SIB funds to be used first — not last.
Hilton Head Island’s contribution was in the form of land (right-of-way), not cash.
The bridge design was scaled back from the original lane count, prompting concerns about whether the full $120 million request was still justified.
The county did not provide a clear plan to cover potential cost overruns; SIB recommended pledging the county’s bonding capacity of up to $87 million, though staff advised against this.
A detailed timeline for construction and completion was missing from the proposal.
The SIB wanted to see increased financial contributions from both SCDOT and the county to reduce reliance on its funding.
The county violated the IGA by failing to begin construction in 2024.
Following the meeting, county staff spoke with the South Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Justin Powell, who confirmed SCDOT is prepared to move forward with replacing the two-lane Mackay Creek Bridge using $90 million in already committed funds. He also indicated a preference for a three-lane bridge — if Beaufort County agrees to cover the additional cost of the third lane.
Senator Tom Davis, who represents Beaufort and Jasper Counties and played a key role in securing initial funding for the project, was adamant that the SIB was willing to collaborate with the county to resolve the bridge issue. However, Council Chair Alice Howard responded with a different perspective:
“I, with all due respect, Senator Davis, I was on the other end of that phone call too,” she said. “I did not hear any hope from Chairman White that he wanted to work with us.”
Davis countered, “I heard it, and then he called me after. It was not a hard no.”
Howard replied, “As my father would say, it was time to cut bait, and he was a fisherman, and that’s the message I received.”
County Council will meet again on May 27 to review the updated proposal, giving the SIB less than 30 days to review and respond.
This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 11:18 AM.
