NCDOT, SCDOT plans to extend Carolina Bay Parkway to US 17

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY)–Two state transportation departments, and officials from Brunswick and Horry counties, coming together to discuss a project to make traveling between the two counties more efficient. 

North Carolina and South Carolina Departments of Transportation want to extend Carolina Bays Parkway, or SC 31, from SC 9 in Horry County, South Carolina, across the North Carolina state line to US 17 in Brunswick County. 

Engineers say the extension would provide a more direct flow of traffic to and from the Grand Strand and help ease congestion and delays through cities and towns along the route. 

 Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith was at the meeting, and says this project has been a long time coming. 

“I just think it would be great for transportation up and down the east coast. It’s one of the biggest bottle necks in my opinion. It will certainly be very important to us as the whole county grows for evacuation, and to travel to other places,” said Smith.  

There are 3 proposed routes for the Carolina Bays Parkway Extension. NCDOT and SCDOT are working with the Grand Strand area transportation study to determine the best route. 

Funding for the project, which has a price tag of more than 550-million dollars, has not been secured.

“Part of what they talked about today was cutting it up into sections so that they can get it started. They certainly don’t have the money to build the whole thing because of the hefty price tag. But they can tackle it in sections,” said Smith. 

The first section was proposed at today’s meeting.

There is no firm timeline for the project at this time.