Beaufort County reviews scaled plan for US 278 bridge after referendum fails; SIB sets March 31 deadline

Beaufort County officials and local elected leaders met at a special Beaufort County Council workshop to review options for the US 278 corridor project after an updated cost estimate pushed the project beyond currently committed funding. State Senator Tom Davis outlined a scaled plan that would use roughly $300 million on hand to build a new three-lane eastbound span while keeping the existing westbound lanes in service until a later phase; the State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) has given the county until March 31 to present a funding plan or risk DOT taking limited action on the aging eastbound span.

Why it matters: The US 278 crossing is the primary road connection to Hilton Head Island. County and town leaders said the bridge’s condition affects daily commutes, emergency response and the island’s economy. Updated engineering and market data pushed the project estimate to about $488 million, creating a roughly $190 million shortfall against funds county staff say are available.

Sen. Tom Davis, speaking by phone, framed a short-term approach to fit available resources. “Given that there is not feasible for local government to come up with another $90,000,000 at this time,” Davis said, he and delegation colleagues proposed using about $250,000,000 to build a new three-lane eastbound span beginning at Moss Creek and continuing past Pinckney Island to the Windmill Harbor area, leaving the existing two-lane eastbound span in place during construction and dismantling it afterward. Davis said the three-lane build would keep traffic flowing during work and would require amending the county’s intergovernmental agreement with the SIB if the SIB’s $120 million grant is to remain applied to the modified scope.

County staff briefed council on the finances and agreements that govern the project: a SIB Intergovernmental Agreement tied to a $120 million SIB grant; a DOT Financial Participation Agreement; and a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Town of Hilton Head Island. Staff said the total funds now on hand are about $298 million (including local sales tax allocations and DOT commitments), while the latest DOT cost estimate is approximately $488 million, producing the cited shortfall. DOT has told the county it may need to make a decision on the eastbound span by March 31 because of structural loading concerns; DOT officials had also estimated a targeted replacement/repair of the first eastbound span at roughly $90 million if a broader project is not agreed.

County project staff described the regulatory context: the project has proceeded under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, including an environmental assessment and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) pathway that guided prior public hearings and an earlier preferred alternative. Staff said a new three-lane eastbound span could fit largely within the existing NEPA footprint but would require amendment of agreements and additional NEPA coordination.

Council members and the Hilton Head mayor stressed the project’s priorities: keep the island accessible and safe, preserve access to Pinkney and Jenkins islands, and minimize disruption to ferry and landing operations. Mayor Alan Perry said the town has held workshops but had not taken a vote: “We haven’t taken any votes or any action. We’ve had workshops to understand where the community stands,” he said, and added that the town needs clarity on what DOT and the SIB will accept. County Administrator Michael Moore said staff will meet with DOT the following day to seek more detailed cost breakdowns and to coordinate technical parameters before further talks with the SIB.

Public comment at the workshop reinforced local safety concerns and opposition to a very large single-span proposal. Charles Perry, chairman of the Windmill Harbor traffic committee, urged keeping the Windmill Harbor signal, saying it “has added tremendously to the safety” of people coming onto the island. Mike Garrigan, a Windmill Harbor resident and past traffic committee chairman, added that fatal accidents that occurred before the signal “we don’t see that anymore.” Several island residents said they oppose the $488 million plan and cited a petition of about 12,000 signatures asking for a smaller-scale solution and for community-sensitive mitigation in the Stoney neighborhood.

Numbers and trade-offs cited at the meeting: staff and legislators discussed roughly $300 million in available funds (including a $120 million SIB grant and local and DOT contributions), a new cost estimate of about $488 million, and a proposed $250 million three-lane eastbound span. Davis and DOT staff said adding bicycle and pedestrian facilities on the new span as originally proposed would add roughly $40 million to the cost. County staff also noted the need to account for utility relocation costs (participants estimated a multimillion-dollar item for water main relocation) and the legal/contractual limits in the SIB IGA that place cost-overrun responsibility on the local government.

Next steps: County staff, a delegation led by Sen. Davis, and Hilton Head representatives will meet with SCDOT the day after the workshop to request detailed segment-level cost components so councils can consider prioritized elements (for example, a bridge without a multiuse path) and prepare a proposal to present to the SIB before March 31. Staff indicated they will return to Beaufort County Council with an update and that a follow-up workshop or council meeting will be scheduled to consider any negotiated IGA amendments and revised DOT financial participation terms.

The workshop produced no formal votes. Council members repeatedly asked staff to seek clear, written limits from DOT about what design or financing approaches DOT would accept (for example, tolling or reversible lanes) so council debate rests on firm technical constraints.

Ending: County staff said they will report back after the Columbia meeting, and council scheduled time to revisit the topic soon so elected officials can decide whether to accept a descope approach, pursue additional funds, or authorize DOT to proceed with a more limited replacement.