News Release

Town Council Takes Action Backing Plans to Proceed on William Hilton Parkway Project

June 28, 2024

The Hilton Head Island Town Council voted to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Beaufort County and to grant municipal consent to the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) for a comprehensive project enhancing infrastructure, safety, and accessibility to Hilton Head Island.

The 4.2-mile William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Project (Project), sponsored by Beaufort County and managed by the SCDOT, will include the replacement of all four bridges crossing Mackay Creek and Skull Creek, including the Karl S. Bowers eastbound bridge, which was constructed in 1956.  The Project will include improvements to the U.S. 278 corridor from Moss Creek Drive to Spanish Wells Road/Wild Horse Road. Between January 2016 and April 2024, this area experienced 1,108 collisions, six fatalities (including two pedestrian-related), and 81 major injuries, according to the SCDOT.

As approved by Town Council, the Project will feature a new single-span bridge with a 75-year life cycle that will better withstand the impacts of natural disasters, improve existing conditions within the corridor that are negatively affecting property owners and residents of the Big and Little Stoney historic neighborhoods, reduce traffic congestion throughout the corridor, improve access to the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge and the C.C. Haigh, Jr. Boat Ramp,  make enhancements to address pedestrian and bicyclist safety, amongst other improvements.

"This initiative marks a significant milestone in our continuous efforts to improve infrastructure, safety and quality of life for our residents. The collaboration with Beaufort County and the SCDOT will provide a safer, more accessible, and beautiful community corridor," said Mayor Alan Perry. “The Town Council and Town staff have worked closely with state and county leaders, engineering consultants, and the community to develop a balanced plan for this corridor and Hilton Head Island. We’ve kept the Stoney Historic Community in the forefront of those conversations. This week, we reached the point in our deliberations where we chose to set policy through action rather than having decisions imposed on us due to our own inaction. Providing municipal consent to the SCDOT and entering into an agreement with Beaufort County will further enhance the outcomes for our community and was the best course of action for us to take.”

Town Manager Marc Orlando stated, “With Town Council’s approval of the SCDOT municipal consent, I want to emphasize the Town’s shared commitment to enhancing the community infrastructure of Hilton Head Island. This project represents the Town’s emphasis on improving connectivity, safety, and the overall quality of life in our community. I will continue to work collaboratively with the Town Council, SCDOT, and Beaufort County, to advance this project efficiently and transparently in alignment with the approved Beaufort County Memorandum of Agreement. The Town will ensure that the project deliverables align with the approved strategic vision and serve the best interests of Hilton Head Island and the Stoney Historic Community.”

The Project implements strategies to keep traffic moving as safely and efficiently as possible throughout the corridor. It is currently in the preliminary design stage and is working through a process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which identifies all potential impacts to the natural and human environment.

Over the course of the Project to date and in numerous public meetings, the Town has investigated environmental considerations, safety, mobility and accessibility, cultural and historic property impacts, noise, traffic, bridge and corridor design, and other factors. By granting our municipal consent, we are committing to a partnership with SCDOT and Beaufort County that will advance this project in a manner that is specific to the Town’s project expectations and that will benefit all members of our community.

The Memorandum of Agreement with Beaufort County sets forth required elements the Town has identified to achieve the various project goals and objectives.  These elements, organized by Project Design, Stoney Historic Community Improvements and Economic Sustainability, are outlined below:

• Project Design. The Project will move forward through mutually approved decisions. The Project design will minimize impacts on private property, primarily work within existing rights-of-way, and include multi-use pathways, pedestrian safety measures, and cultural preservation elements. The Project will feature one six-lane bridge with specific dimensions and accommodations for traffic, pedestrian pathways, and landscaping, all designed to minimize visual impact and enhance safety.
  
  Additional elements to be included in the Project include storm surge protection, adaptive traffic management, landscape medians, and other improvements that will enhance the quality of life in the Stoney Historic Community. There will also be sharing of Project data and coordination with the SCDOT for value engineering. The Town will provide necessary land through a formal ordinance.
   
• Stoney Historic Community. The impacts to the Stoney Historic Community and its Traditional Cultural Properties are recognized and improvements identified. This includes creating and implementing a Stoney Historic Community Economic Sustainability and Cultural Preservation Plan in collaboration with the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation (CDC), guided by the 2003 Stoney Initiative Area Plan. Additionally, $10 million will be set aside for community infrastructure improvements in the Stoney Historic Community.
  
  It also entails working with private property owners in the Stoney Historic Community to alleviate roadway impacts and improve quality of life, using Town-owned land for Project needs, creating a new park, improving drainage, installing community-sensitive signage and landscaping, improving safety and increasing traffic enforcement through Stoney and the corridor.
   
• Economic Sustainability. Multi-modal transportation options, the accelerated evaluation of a second bridge to Hilton Head Island, and additional intersection improvements along William Hilton Parkway will be advanced. To assist in the funding and implementation of various community infrastructure projects, a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District for the Skull Creek Planning District, which includes the Stoney Historic Community, will be pursued within 12 months.

The Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods CDC, which the Town Council established last year, has taken a lead role in serving as a connection between the Town and families and businesses in the Stoney community. “We are committed to helping those who, more than anyone else, stand to be affected by this Project. Their voices have been critical in defining the elements of the Project adopted by the Town Council and helping to move this Project forward,” said Shirley “Peaches” Peterson, Chair of the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods CDC.

Historically, the Stoney community was a vibrant social, commercial, and economic hub on the north end of the Island.  “We’re excited about the prospect of reviving the vibrancy, not just for those who live or maintain a business in the Stoney Historic Community but for those who want to experience the rich history this community represents,” Peterson said.

To learn more about this Project, the public can view more information at hiltonheadislandsc.gov:

• The Town of Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County Memorandum of Agreement
• The SCDOT Municipal Consent Resolution
• The SCDOT Municipal Consent Resolution providing the sense of Town Council’s Project Expectations
• The William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Project Concept Video

Additional Project information may also be found on the SCDOT project page at scdot278corridor.com/.