BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. () – Could there be another change coming to the Highway 278 bridge project in the Lowcountry?
Beaufort County Council is making another attempt to secure a larger plan and additional funding. This time, they aim to source the funds from the federal government.
The county council plans to formally apply for a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to finance the comprehensive 278 corridor improvements. This project would involve constructing a full six-lane bridge connecting Moss Creek in Bluffton with Hilton Head Island.
Last month, the Town of Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County settled on a reduced $311 million project. This plan includes the replacement of only the deteriorating side of the bridges linking Bluffton to the Island.
The State Infrastructure bank has agreed to put aside $120 million toward that project.
The county council now hopes the Federal Highway Administration grant would pay for the entire $466 million plan.
County leaders said that’s still a longshot.
“There’s not 100% certainty. There’s probably 10% certainty,” Beaufort County Administrator Michael Moore said. “We talked to [Secretary of Transportation Justin] Powell and its somewhere in that ballpark. I mean, we’re competing against the entire nation, projects across the country for this these funds. So, this at least gets us in the door for consideration.”
While excited about the possibility of getting federal money, some council people are hesitant to agree to the expanded project and the larger bridge because it may not be what the people want.
“We all have to understand the ramifications, County Councilman Tom Reitz said. “I think between the 11,000-14,000 signatures against the monolithic Golden Gate Bridge, big thing, I believe the referendum, I think we ought to consider what the people want. And I think with our workshop with Town Council, we heard from the mayor, we heard from Council members, we heard from people. You know, bigger is not always better.”
Beaufort County officials have to make their application by Aug. 1.
They hope to hear something from the feds in the next six-nine months.
If they get the grant, county council would still have to vote one more time whether to accept the money and build the larger bridge.
No matter what the Federal Government decides, officials said this will not stop planning for the current bridge project. Both projects could run construction concurrently.
