Hilton Head review committee hears Highway 278 corridor option costs, construction timelines
Consultants estimated costs for four proposed William Hilton Parkway Gateway corridor options, ranging from $1 million to $150 million more than Beaufort County and the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s $425 million preferred option.
Two US 278 corridor options are significantly more expensive than SCDOT’s recommendation, which is lane widening and street-level intersection improvements throughout the corridor, calling into question who would provide potential additional funding should the town want one of those options.
“There’s conversations that are going to be had with the State Infrastructure Bank soon to understand where the additional funding is coming from, what they’re willing to do (and) how they’re willing to fund this,” Mayor Alan Perry said at the William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Independent Review Advisory Committee Monday. “It’s very possible they come back to us and say (if) that’s what you want, it’s your dime, you pay for it.”
In October the town requested the Lochmueller Group develop options for the US 278 Corridor project’s last mile once cars get off the bridge within Hilton Head town limits and present the options to an independent committee. The analysis is a step towards the town making a decision whether or not to give the SCDOT the approval — called municipal consent — for this section of the project. Municipal consent would, in turn, allow the entire project, which includes expanding the four-lane bridge to six lanes, to move forward.
The independent review committee hasn’t made a recommendation, which it will present to town staff. Town staff will then inform town council, and council members will make a decision on what option the town wants for the corridor.
In addition to projected costs the Lochmueller Group also presented projected construction times and land usage during the April 22 analysis. Here is how each option fared:
Alternative One: SCDOT modified recommendation
Description: Lane widening and street-level intersection improvements throughout the corridor.
Estimated cost: $426 million
Estimated construction: Three years
Amount of private land the town would use: 0 acres
Amount of public land the town would use: .2 acres
Alternative Two: Bowties at Squire Pope and Spanish Wells
Description: Bowtie intersections at Squire Pope and Spanish Wells. Bowties replace left turns or right turns with roundabouts on the cross street.
Estimated cost: $430 million
Estimated construction: Three years and two months
Amount of private land the town would use: .16 acres
Amount of public land the town would use: .94 acres
Alternative Three: Echelon/center turn overpass
Description: An echelon or center turn overpass at either Squire Pope or Spanish Wells, but not both.
Estimated cost: $440 million to $450 million
Estimated construction: Three years and six months
Amount of private land the town would use: .54 acres
Amount of public land the town would use: .86 acres
Alternative Four: Elevated bypass
Description: An elevated bypass would be raised above the existing street-level highway, while still allowing traffic to pass underneath.
Estimated cost: $545 million to $575 million
Estimated construction: Four years
Amount of private land the town would use: 0
Amount of public land the town would use: 0
For more detailed descriptions with diagrams of each option, and the process, go to: https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/traffic/article287621760.html
