Residents, petition press county to halt Sunset Boulevard and Miller Drive streetscape work

Dan Bridal, a Sunset Boulevard resident, told the Beaufort County Public Facilities Committee on Feb. 18 that “we have over 200 residents on Sunset Boulevard that are not in favor of these improvements.” He asked the county to use the funds allocated for the project for other purposes and to preserve the neighborhood’s “quiet enjoyment.”

Staff and committee members discussed the Sunset‑Miller streetscape as part of the county’s 1¢ transportation sales‑tax program. Jennifer Bragg, a county project lead, confirmed the public comment period closed Feb. 14 and that staff have received petitions and written comments. “I will review everything,” Bragg said, and prepare recommendations based on the feedback and design feasibility.

Bridal said his group’s objections center on keeping Sunset Boulevard a residential street and avoiding traffic changes they view as more appropriate for larger corridors. He told the committee, “We pray that the funds that were allocated for this could be used for a better purpose than widening Sunset, which is a residential street.”

County staff explained that design work has progressed to the point that some expenses have been incurred; if the committee’s or staff’s recommendation is to stop the project, design work would stop and staff would report how much had been spent to date. Committee members pressed staff to provide an itemized breakdown of expenditures and to include the petition and public comments in their recommendation.

Next steps: staff will compile public comments, review design and funding status, and return recommendations to the committee; no final county decision on the Sunset‑Miller project was made at the Feb. 18 meeting.