As MyrtleBeachSC News reported this month, I-73 funding does not exist in the 2022 state budget. $300 million was promised by Governor Henry McMaster in a joint press release with incumbent U.S. 7th District Congressman Tom Rice last Fall. Rice was unable to deliver that funding.
After the measure failed to be budgeted by the S.C. General Assembly, it became clear that a comprehensive road package is needed for Horry County.
Jason Thompson, RIDE Program Manager at Horry County Government and Andy Markunas, Deputy County Engineer at Horry County Engineering Department presented a timeline before Horry County I.N.R. on March 8th.
The proposed timeline would require Horry County Council to establish a Ride 4 Advisory Committee this Spring 2022.
The Ride 4 Advisory Committee would then make recommendations on prioritized projects to the Ride 4 Commission within 1 year, by Spring 2023.
In the Summer of 2023, Horry County Council will create the Ride 4 Commission as per S.C. state law. 3 members will be appointed by Horry County Council. 3 members will be appointed by local city governments. The commission will have a total of 6 members.
From June 2023 to around February 2024, the Ride 4 Commission will develop its recommendations on road project priorities to Horry County Council.
In the Spring of 2024, Horry County Council will enact an ordinance imposing the Ride 4 Capital Project Sales Tax. The ordinance will later be put on referendum for the voters to decide at the ballot box.
In November 2024, the Referendum will be conducted by the Election Commission. A public vote on the Ride 4 Capital Project Sales tax will be held during that November general election.
On May 1, 2025 the tax will be re-imposed, terminating at the latest on April 2032.
Last December, Gary Loftus (who sits on INR) told local news:
RIDE IV is still in the very early stages, but Loftus warned that it can’t become too political.
“It’s got to be done in a rational, practical way,” Loftus said. “If we politicize it, everybody loses.”
Fixes along Highway 90 are on the table to be included in RIDE IV, which the county estimates would cost $500 million. Council member Gary Loftus said there needs to be a cost-benefit analysis.
“It boils down to this,” Loftus said. “If you can fix Highway 90, how many people do you help? How many people do you affect? And if you can go after five other roads that affect twice as many people, do you do that?”
The pink elephant in the room, however, is I-73. Will RIDE 4 monies also be allocated to help fund I-73? The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce hopes I-73 will be one component in a comprehensive roads package for the county. The funds, however, can not be used to help “cash starved”, Marion County fund its portion of the $300 million connector road.
SCDOT Head Christy Hall recently informed S.C. state representatives that up to 4 times funds collected by Horry County can be matched with Federal dollars if the roads are designed and engineered to Federal Standards. See those Federal Standard requirements here.
Those state representatives we spoke with said getting 75 cents in matching Federal dollars for every 25 cents collected by the county is the best way forward.