Hilton Head officials to refine corridor master plan after county directs $80M to new bridge

Town officials on June 3 said they will refine a corridor master plan and seek a formal council resolution after Beaufort County voted to apply $80 million from a 2018 transportation sales tax referendum toward construction of a new Mackay Creek bridge.

Town Manager Mark Orlando told the Town Council that Beaufort County intends to use the full $80,000,000 as a contribution to an estimated $300,000,000 bridge project and that, as a result, “this decision effectively leaves no funding available for corridor improvements at this time.” The town’s concern centers on the stretch from the Moss Creek signalized intersection through Squire Pope Road and Spanish Wells Road, which town leaders say still needs safety and traffic-flow work.

Town staff presented next steps. "We have a great opportunity in front of us to drive the car and control the destiny for this corridor going forward," said a town staff member who outlined the plan to refresh the corridor master plan, prepare engineering opinions of probable cost, identify logical first-phase improvements (particularly at the Squire Pope intersection) and develop funding strategies that could combine local,…