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Beaufort County staff report progress and finances for 1¢ transportation sales tax
Summary
County staff told the Public Facilities Committee that the 2018 one‑cent transportation sales tax authorized $120 million for a package of road, sidewalk and corridor projects; staff said about $33.7 million has been expended so far and summarized the project portfolio, schedules and DOT coordination.
Britney Bishop, program and finance manager for Beaufort County Engineering, briefed the committee on the quarterly status of the 2018 one‑cent transportation sales tax on Feb. 18.
Bishop said the ballot package totaled $120 million: $80 million was dedicated to the U.S. 278 corridor project, $30 million to nine projects on Lady’s Island, and $10 million to 24 locations for sidewalks and multi‑use paths. “The money still in the bank? Yes. We are spending it,” Bishop said, and staff provided an interim accounting showing about $33.7 million expended to date for design, permitting and completed construction work.
Robert Getze, interim capital‑projects director, gave a portfolio snapshot: of roughly 94 projects in the capital program, 57 are in progress, 23 are in planning or awaiting funding, 5 are on hold and 9 are complete; total funding cited for the capital program during his summary was $110,453,000. Staff noted completed items (Bluffton Parkway, Rebow Road to Parris Island Gateway, record‑room consolidation) and active projects including Arthurhorn parking lot, Charles Lynn Brown community center improvements and several parks projects.
Staff reviewed procedural requirements and intergovernmental agreements with SCDOT: design typically needs to reach about 70% before right‑of‑way acquisition, and federal or state funding (TAP, CDBG and other grants) requires coordination with the agency that holds the funds. Jennifer Bragg described long lead items—design, right‑of‑way, permitting and the procurement timeline—and reiterated that some projects will remain in design or right‑of‑way until funding and permits are secured.
Committee members asked for more granular, itemized expenditure data; staff said they will publish detailed breakdowns on the program website and provide an expanded spreadsheet showing per‑project progress and recent expenditures. Staff also described a planned March workshop to prioritize which projects to advance given constrained construction funding.
Next steps: staff will post detailed financials and per‑project itemizations online, and the committee will address prioritization and phasing at a scheduled workshop rather than during this update.
