A future Highway 31 expressway running from the port city of Wilmington to the port city of Charleston is in its early planning stage.
The SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) have scheduled a pre-hearing open house and a corridor public hearing for the proposed extension of the SC Highway 31 expressway project.
The project’s initial goal is to lengthen S.C. 31 from where it stops at S.C. 9 in Horry County to U.S. 17 in Brunswick County close to Shallotte in North Carolina.
Horry County will utilize RIDE III funding to fund the Highway 31 expressway stretching from Highway 9 to the North Carolina border. NCDOT will cover all road costs from there.
The initial planning map can be viewed on the map below:
The North Strand Recreation Center in Longs will host a public hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees can also tune into the meeting via live stream.
WHY A HIGHWAY 31 EXPRESS WAY PORT TO PORT IS VITAL
Benefits of the Highway 31 Expressway for Regional Connectivity
American products are delivered to U.S. ports, then transported across the country by trucks. An expressway called Highway 31 would link I-26 in Charleston and connect to I-40 and I-74 in Wilmington.
U.S. manufactured products are shipped overseas at U.S. ports.
A port to port Highway 31 Expressway would allow products to flow more freely into the South as well as up and down I-95.
The construction of the Highway 31 Expressway would stimulate the growth of small businesses seeking convenient and accessible transportation links, thereby diversifying Myrtle Beach’s job market beyond its current reliance on Healthcare and Tourism industries.
At present, there is no funding available for extending the expressway past Murrells Inlet. Georgetown County, being classified as economically disadvantaged, will require assistance from the S.C. Infrastructure Bank to cover construction expenses.
The construction of the S.C. Highway 31 Expressway in Horry County has been primarily completed, with funding coming from RIDE taxes.
