The South Carolina Department of Transportation has published its estimate on the cost of completing a four lane highway from I-77 in Rock Hill to the North Myrtle Beach coast via Highway 9.
SCDOT broke the costs down into three different segments. Projected estimates put the entire cost for the project at $317 million.
The four lane road will run South from I-77 to I-95 at Dillion then on to the coast in North Myrtle Beach.
This will be the Grand Strand’s first highway crossing these two critical interstates and feeding into the coast.
Why are I-77 and I-95 so important? I-77 is a major interstate that will now connect Charlotte to North Myrtle Beach with easy access. The North Myrtle Beach exit at I-95 will be first exit for tourists traveling from Northeastern America.
THE PEE DEE AND UPSTATE ARE MAKING COMMITMENTS
As upstate news reporter Robert Monnie writes: Widen Highway 9 to four lanes?… that was the recommendation of a group of concerned stakeholders during a February 22 meeting. The upgrade would affect S.C. 9 from the inter-section of S.C. 9 and S.C. 265 just west of Chesterfield and S.C. 151 in Pageland, S.C.
On February 22nd, Chesterfield County Council and Pageland Town Council had already gone on record as supporting the project. One week later, Cheraw and Chesterfield Town Councils followed suit.
The entire group of stakeholders involved in the project include: SCDOT personnel, Pee Dee Council of Governments Personnel, state legislators, and the private sector.
A two laned highway 9 already exists from Interstate 77 to Interstate 95 to the coast. The road is four laned in several areas, including from North Myrtle Beach west to just before Nichols, S.C.