Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Major Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board declines partial funding plan for Hilton Head bridge; seeks 60–90 day solution
Summary
The board rejected a joint Buford County and City of Hilton Head resolution to fund a partial reconstruction of US‑278 (Hilton Head bridge), citing scope changes from existing IGAs and substantial cost increases, and gave local officials 60–90 days to seek a compliant plan.
The South Carolina Infrastructure Bank board declined a joint resolution from Buford County and the City of Hilton Head asking the bank to fund a partial reconstruction of U.S. 278 (the Hilton Head bridge), citing changes in project scope from the bank's intergovernmental agreement and large cost increases since the project’s initial budget.
Chair John White said the project’s estimated cost had grown from about $282 million to roughly $499 million. “We understand the time-sensitive nature of this,” White said, noting safety concerns linked to an aging section of the bridge. He also said the bank had committed $120 million to the project and that the penny sales tax proposal, which local sponsors had counted on to make up some of the shortfall, did not pass.
The board told Buford County and the City of Hilton Head it could not approve a change of scope that would set a precedent contrary to existing IGAs or the bank’s contract terms. A motion to disapprove the county and city request was made, seconded and approved; the board offered a 60–90 day period for the local parties to meet with the bank and staff to attempt to reach a compliant path forward.
Bank staff and Secretary Powell were acknowledged for ongoing work on the project and the board said it planned additional discussions with county and city officials to try to reconcile project scope with contractual obligations.
