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Beaufort County transportation advisory committee hears Bluffton growth, penny tax and safety briefs
Summary
At its March 4 meeting the Beaufort County Transportation Advisory Committee heard public pleas for bicycle and pedestrian safety, received a CTC update on pavement and funding, and reviewed Blufftondevelopment and long-range projects that could shape a proposed penny sales tax. Committee members asked municipalities to prioritize projects and staff will circulate a project spreadsheet for ranking.
The Beaufort County Transportation Advisory Committee met on March 4 in Bluffton for an informational session that included public comment, a county transportation committee (CTC) update and a detailed presentation from town officials on Bluffton growth and projects relevant to a possible penny sales tax.
Public commenters urged the committee to prioritize safety elements in county projects. A representative for Lowcountry Bike and Walk Advocates said South Carolina "ranks 2nd of the most dangerous states for cyclists" and "47th out of 50 states in bicycle pedestrian infrastructure," and urged the committee to approve only projects that include bicycle and pedestrian elements consistent with SCDOTComplete Streets policy. Dave Kimball, who identified himself as a bicycle enthusiast, asked the committee to use a penny tax to acquire easements along Highway 170 for a 10-foot off-road paved path that could join the East Coast Greenway and the Spanish Moss Trail.
The nut of the meeting was staff briefings on how CTC money works and what projects the committee and municipalities should prioritize if voters approve a transportation penny. Craig Gordon, introduced by the chair as the CTC chair, reviewed the committeeprogramhistory and funding mechanics, saying Beaufort Countyreceives roughly $2.6 million annually plus about $687,000 in donor fees and that statute requires 33% of certain funds to be spent on state routes. Gordon summarized the pavement quality index (PQI) work and a five-year program that, he said, produced 77 miles of roads rated good or very good in the latest review.
Staff member Jared explained the multiple funding "pots": SCDOT resurfacing funds for primary and US routes, a smaller pot for neighborhood routes, and the CTC allocation derived from the state gas tax. "All of this funding is coming from gas tax," Jared said, explaining that a portion of the state tax is distributed to local CTCs for county-level work. Committee members pressed on the gas-tax history; staff said the 2018 gas-tax increase (implemented in two-cent steps over six years) was fully implemented in 2024 and the current state gas tax stands at 28 cents, with roughly 3 cents allocated for distribution among the 46 CTCs.
Bluffton officials presented local constraints and project priorities. A Bluffton presenter told the committee the town covers roughly 54 square miles and is about 40,000 people; he said 92% of the town is subject to development agreements that constrain new routing and that the town is largely limited to intersection safety improvements or right-of-way widening. The presentation highlighted Buckwalter and Bluffton Parkway projects, major medical campus development near Bluffton Parkway and Buckwalter, school-related intersection needs, and access-management plans designed to improve interconnectivity. The presenter summarized LATS (the regional long-range plan) project costs for 2022through 2025 at about $140 million, a 2026through 2030 estimate of roughly $384 million, and a 2022through 2030 total near $550 million including contingency assumptions.
Committee members focused on process: how municipalities should prioritize projects for a penny tax, whether the county or municipalities would manage construction, and how quickly projects could start if funds were bonded. Members repeatedly flagged Highway 170 and the 278/170 interchange as regional priorities. Staff said they would circulate a draft, sortable spreadsheet and GIS layer listing projects, estimated costs and status; the county will update that file weekly and asked municipalities to provide a top-ranked list (for example, a top five) within parameters the committee might set.
On bicycle infrastructure, the committee heard that resurfacing projects generally do not require added bike lanes, while full reconstruction or lane additions do. As Craig Gordon put it: "Whenever we're resurfacing, we do not have to put anything additional on. If we're rebuilding the road ... then we are required to do such." Committee members and staff discussed options to stack funding sources (CTC, impact fees, CIP funds) to include multimodal elements where possible.
Formal business at the start of the meeting was routine: the committee unanimously approved the agenda and then unanimously approved the minutes after a requested tense change. No formal vote was held on a penny sales tax or on specific projects at this meeting; staff and members treated the session as education and planning ahead of later prioritization and public outreach.
What happens next: staff will circulate the draft project spreadsheet and the CTC and LATS materials; Stephanie (the LATS representative) is scheduled to present at the committee's Hilton Head meeting next week to provide broader regional context; the committee will ask municipalities to return prioritized project lists consistent with any parameters the committee sets.
Votes at a glance: the committee unanimously approved the meeting agenda and unanimously approved the previous meeting minutes; a motion to adjourn passed at the close of the meeting.
The committee adjourned after the staff and Bluffton presentations without placing any formal penny-tax measure or specific project approvals on the record; the committee will continue review and prioritization at upcoming meetings, including the session in Hilton Head.
