Hilton Head releases terms of potential U.S. 278 bridge and corridor agreement
Drivers going over the bridges to Hilton Head Island could be navigating more lanes, slower speeds and added turns, according to the proposed resolution that would allow Beaufort County and the South Carolina Department of Transportation to move forward with the U.S. 278 corridor project.
The vote is on a special town council meeting agenda on June 28, which is also the town’s deadline for giving the go-ahead — called municipal consent — for the project. The time constraint is because the project’s environmental assessment expires the same day. The “Municipal Consent Resolution” and supplementary diagrams were on the town website and agenda Thursday.
The project will determine how workers, islanders and tourists get to Hilton Head Island and what it will look like for decades to come. Members of the Gullah community, descendants of enslaved Africans, have raised concern over the project going through the Big Stoney Historic Gullah Neighborhood.
The resolution includes at least $10 million in the now-estimated $488 million budget to enhance that community. It includes a new park, drainage improvements, landscaping, lighting and community-sensitive signage for the neighborhood.
Here are some other highlights, according to the document:
Bridge details
One bridge from the mainland to Jenkins Island that:
is not more than 121.5 feet wide.
has three 12-foot-wide lanes in each direction.
has one ten-foot-wide outside shoulder in each direction.
has one six-foot-wide inside shoulder in each direction.
Speed limits and landscaping
A posted speed limit of 40 mph, which is a 15 mph reduction from the bridge’s current 55 mph speed limit and a 5 mph reduction from the 45 mph speed limit once cars reach the island.
Landscaped medians of varying widths.
Jenkins Island
Three 12-foot-wide lanes in each direction through Jenkins Island.
Those going to Hog Island, Mariners Cove, Blue Heron Point, Jenkins Island Cemetery, Hilton Head RV Resort, and the Hilton Head Harbor Marina will use a new service road on Jenkins Island.
Stoney Historic Community
Three 11-to-12-feet-long lanes through the Stoney Historic Community.
Windmill Harbour Intersection
Removal of the Jenkins Road intersection with William Hilton Parkway; instead, drivers will be routed to the Windmill Harbour intersection.
Pedestrians can no longer cross U.S. 278 at the Windmill Harbour intersection.
New under-bridge connection
Drivers going to Hog Island, Blue Heron Point, and Mariners Cove will use a new under-bridge connection on the northern side of U.S. 278 instead of the current southern-side access.
Crazy Crab turn
Crazy Crab restaurant-goers turning left will turn further down, closer to the mainland.
Squire Pope Road and Chamberlin Drive
Those going eastbound on William Hilton Parkway and turning left on Squire Pope Road will use one elongated left-turn lane.
Those going southbound on Squire Pope Road and turning right onto westbound Willian Hilton Parkway will have a right turn lane.
A new right turn lane from eastbound William Hilton Parkway onto Chamberlin Drive.
Wild Horse
two left turn lanes from northbound Spanish Wells Road to westbound William Hilton Parkway.
one through lane from northbound Spanish Wells Road to Wildhorse Road.
one right-hand turn lane from northbound Spanish Wells Road to eastbound William Hilton Parkway.
one left-land turn lane from southbound Wild Horse Road to eastbound William Hilton Parkway.
one through lane from southbound Wild Horse Road to Spanish Wells Road.
one right-turn lane from southbound Wild Horse Road to eastbound William Hilton Parkway.
improvements to the right-turn lane from eastbound William Hilton Parkway to northbound Spanish Wells Road.
Clearance
For boaters, the bridge height clearance will be 65 feet high over Skull Creek, the same as the current bridge. Pinckney Island’s bridge height clearance will be a minimum of 17.19 feet, currently, there is no bridge over Pinckney Island.
