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Council amends US 278 joint resolution to clarify traffic‑signal responsibility, then advances the project redefinition
Summary
After a lengthy review of the joint U.S. 278 (William Hilton Parkway) corridor resolution with Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County Council agreed to strike language implying it could transfer ownership of the Windmill Harbor traffic signal (a DOT asset) and instead record a transfer of maintenance responsibility; council voted to move the redefined project forward and staff outlined next steps, including NEPA and a public comment period.
Beaufort County Council on March 10 debated a joint resolution with the Town of Hilton Head Island to redefine the U.S. 278 (William Hilton Parkway Gateway) corridor project to match available funding and project scope. A focal point of the discussion was paragraph 7, which asked the county to transfer ownership of the Windmill Harbor traffic signal to the town.
Councilman McAllen and others pointed out that the traffic signal is owned by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), so the county cannot transfer ownership. McAllen proposed — and the council adopted — a scrivener’s amendment to change the language so the town would assume maintenance responsibility rather than ownership. Councilmembers also voiced concern about preserving local input and ensuring that any transfer of maintenance would not permit future removal of the signal without county consultation.
County staff explained the project’s status: design is at roughly 30%, the current high‑level cost estimate used for planning is about $260 million, and the timeline to complete the NEPA process and retool engineering is roughly nine months once the redefined scope is approved. Staff described the procurement approach (design‑build) and explained that if bids exceed the budget, stakeholders would be asked to consider alternatives or scale back to a base scope.
Council voted to adopt the amendment to the joint resolution and to forward the redefined project for SCDOT and partner action. Staff said the next steps include NEPA public outreach, a 30‑day comment period at the end of that process, and continued cost refinement prior to advertisement for construction bids.
Provenance: extended council discussion (including legal and staff explanation) and a unanimous procedural amendment to correct the signal‑ownership language.
