278 Corridor - We Have Drifted Off-Scope and Lost Our Way

Background:

The SC Transportation Infrastructure Board (SCTIB) just voted down the State/County $300 million fallback proposal for the 278 Corridor Project. That proposal is quite immature, with many open questions, and seems designed more to chase the $120 million of SCTIB funding, rather than to use that funding wisely to actually solve our problems.

The reason for the rejection, as stated by SCTIB Chairman White, is that the project scope changed. Beaufort County has 60-90 days to meet with them to discuss. Chairman White is correct. We have drifted off-scope and lost our way.

Meanwhile, we feel that The State/County should do what was promised since 2018: Repair/replace the Mackay span; and come up with solutions (short and long term) to the congestion problem, especially the parts impacting worker commute times. The danger of the new $300 million plan, is that it adds a second span that we don’t need yet. That will eat up all of the congestion relief funds available today, and put them in the wrong place! It could also slow the Environmental Approval process for the critical Mackay span.

There are funds available now to solve our 1-span bridge problem, and go a long way to provide short term solutions for the congestion problem without SCTIB’s $120 million. 

When we finally have a coherent Master Plan (we do not even have a plan to produce one), we could then apply for new SCTIB funding, with a clean conscience, knowing the funds would not be wasted on a rushed money grab. See details in the letter below.

You can write to Chairman White via the form at: https://sctib.sc.gov/index.php/contact

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May 15, 2025

John B. White, Jr., Chairman  

South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank Board

955 Park Street

Suite 120B

Columbia, SC 29201

Dear Chairman White:

We Citizens have been watching the Route 278 Corridor Project for many years, and note that there are two main problem areas that need to be addressed: Safety of the Mackay Bridge span, and congestion/safety issues in the Corridor from Moss Creek to the Cross Island Parkway and Local 278.

In 2018, we voted for a 1% sales tax advertised to solve those problems. Instead, we got a 135’ wide mega-bridge, possible observation platforms, and costs that escalated from $282 to $499 million, absorbing all our funds and more, without doing  a good job in solving those problems.

There has been enormous local displeasure with that approach. Close to 12,000 petition signers opposed it; we voted down a following bail-out referendum; and we have voted out many supporting politicians at every opportunity we get.

The time has come to listen to Citizens who drive these roads every day. We have asked for a Master Plan including Tactical and Strategic components from Moss Creek to/from the CIP. These would illuminate short to medium-term cures for our congestion and safety problems, especially ways to reduce worker commute time including: better traffic light timing and coordination, bypass paths, better merges, possible additional public transportation, HOV lanes, etc. The Strategic section would cover longer term plans and, most important, how all the components tie together and cooperate over time. Without that, we would be wasting time, funds and opportunities due to gaps, overlaps and the need to tear out and rework parts that do not mesh well together because we did not plan them as one system.

This has been ignored. Although a newly proposed $300 million fallback plan is better than the original $499 million plan, it still ducks solving our problems and the needed Master Plan. Until a Master Plan is available, it would be foolish to spend and possibly waste SCTIB funds on a project that lacks end-end Conceptual Integrity. 

Our rough calculations, using SCDOT’s figure of $88.6 million to replace the Mackay span (less to repair it), and without the $120 million in SCTIB funding, show that there is still almost $74 million available for short-medium term fixes to address our congestion, safety, and worker commute problems, while developing a complete Master Plan for the full corridor, including efficient CIP connections. Only when that is available, approved, and closer to ‘shovel ready’ should we seek SCTIB funds.

Thus, we endorse replacing/repairing the Mackay span ASAP, which may be expedited via the NEPA Categorical Exclusion process when no extra baggage and poorly defined parts are attached to it. We also support devoting our full energy to developing more complete Strategic and Tactical plans for the full corridor, including much improved public review and participation.

Sincerely,

Diederik Advocaat, Steven M. Baer, Richard Bisi, Gray E. Smith, Stephen R. Woodall, Ph.D.

cc

Justin P. Powell, SC Secretary of Transportation

Beaufort County Council and Staff

Town Council of Hilton Head Island and Staff

Senator Tom Davis

Craig Winn, SCDOT