Carolina Bays Parkway (SC 31)

[The Ghostbuster]

I think the CBP should completely bypass US 17, and not utilize the existing alignment of any highway.

[wriddle082]

I saw a FB post from some "news source" in Myrtle Beach that SCDOT will still move forward with building their northernmost section of CBP right up to the NC state line, where it will abruptly end until NC figures out what to do.  Work to begin in 2029.

[Dirt Roads]

I saw a FB post from some "news source" in Myrtle Beach that SCDOT will still move forward with building their northernmost section of CBP right up to the NC state line, where it will abruptly end until NC figures out what to do.  Work to begin in 2029.

That is a powerful political statement from the Palmetto State.  While I'm sure that the high-ups in Raleigh are concerned about the beach season economic impact that will leave when improving the connections to the North Myrtle Beach area, there will certainly be a political kickback from the folks in downtown Wilmington who would like to benefit from folks vacationing in South Carolina that wish to partake of their coastal city nightlife.

[The Ghostbuster]

What "news source" was it? How reliable is it? I actually wouldn't be surprised if the CBP permanently ended at SC 9.

[jdunlop]

Curious what the impacts would be from fully upgrading the existing roadway.

What I remember from some feasibility studies (I'm retired four years now, they've probably been updated significantly) There's reasonable R/W along the corridor, the construction would resemble what's happening on US 70 (future I-42) in James City.  Parallel service roads on both sides.  Interchanges could either have 17 elevated, or since there's a bit more room than in James City, it's easier to have the side roads go over 17.  I think that was the plan from where the Bay extension connected to existing 17 up to Shalotte.

[wriddle082]

What "news source" was it? How reliable is it? I actually wouldn't be surprised if the CBP permanently ended at SC 9.

I just searched and found it again.  See if this link works:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Gwhw96nvh/?

[chrisdiaz]

I saw a FB post from some "news source" in Myrtle Beach that SCDOT will still move forward with building their northernmost section of CBP right up to the NC state line, where it will abruptly end until NC figures out what to do.  Work to begin in 2029.

Honestly I think this is the only way to do it. It'll light a fire under NC's ass to get a plan up and going. In the meantime, have it end right at Highway 57 at the state line, and let the backups begin on the NC side.

The intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 57 is absolutely riddled with traffic due to the large amount of people turning to access Highway 31. I'm pretty sure that this is the way that most GPS systems take drivers.

Not only this, but the Calabash / Carolina Shores area is developing RAPIDLY, and exploding in population. This traffic problem will only become more of a year round issue than it already is.

[brian440i]

I beleive when this was added to the SC DOT.. North Carolina responded they were going to look into the impact to Hickman Rd since so much traffic is going to funnel onto a two land road.

Has anyone seen an update on NC Plan for Hickman Road?  I believe it was more than just increasing the 3 lanes... I believe the bed had to be improved as well as amount of Trucks that will begin to use that road.

[Dirt Roads]

SCODT is on track to complete its environmental documents and start right of way purchases next year with construction slated to start in 2029, which caught me off guard. For those who know NCDOT better than me, would this timeline cause NCDOT to place more of a priority on the project?

This is old news (from WECT Wilmington), but local residents and businesses along the current path of US-17 are strongly opposed to the Carolina Bays bypass.  These same sentiments were referenced by NCDOT a few months ago as the main reasons to stop progress on the extension.

Historically, North Carolina has been generally opposed to connecting Wilmington to the Grand Strand area, but less opposed to helping connect Great Lakes traffic to Myrtle Beach (ergo I-74/I-73).  The thought was that the "wildlife" of Myrtle Beach would pull visitors (and nightlife funds) out of North Carolina.  However, there has been a more recent trend for Myrtle Beach visitors to sneak over into North Carolina at night for a more quaint experience (particularly in Wilmington).  Businesses along US-17 in Carolina Shores and Shallotte are concerned that their part of that northward trend will "get bypassed".

It is interesting that North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have a history of constructing new fourlane routes right up to the border in an attempt to get the opposite state to meet up.  The only instance that I can recall where this hasn't eventually worked out is on US-501 between South Boston -and- Roxboro.

[sprjus4]

It is interesting that North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have a history of constructing new fourlane routes right up to the border in an attempt to get the opposite state to meet up.  The only instance that I can recall where this hasn't eventually worked out is on US-501 between South Boston -and- Roxboro.

NCDOT more recently has widened US-221 south of Rutherfordton down to the SC border, just to drop to 2 lanes at the line.

Interestingly, they also did something similar with NC-69 between Hayesville and the GA border in the western part of the state. US-64 isn't even 4 lanes through the area, I'm curious why NC-69 was widened for such a short distance, surrounded by 2 lane roads. Terrain perhaps?

[wriddle082]

It is interesting that North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have a history of constructing new fourlane routes right up to the border in an attempt to get the opposite state to meet up.  The only instance that I can recall where this hasn't eventually worked out is on US-501 between South Boston -and- Roxboro.

NCDOT more recently has widened US-221 south of Rutherfordton down to the SC border, just to drop to 2 lanes at the line.

Interestingly, they also did something similar with NC-69 between Hayesville and the GA border in the western part of the state. US-64 isn't even 4 lanes through the area, I'm curious why NC-69 was widened for such a short distance, surrounded by 2 lane roads. Terrain perhaps?

I actually drove the NC 69 and GA 17/515 corridor this past Friday and on Monday, as part of a shorter and scenic route between home and Chattanooga, where I have been working lately.

The NC 69 widening took me completely by surprise, and was very nice.  Of course it narrows to two lanes at the GA line (which I don't think will last very long since it's a GRIP corridor), but it's only for two or three miles to the US 76 intersection, where GA 515 turns right on US 76 west on a routing that leads towards Metro Atlanta, and GA 17 turns left to head east on US 76 towards Hiawassee and other NE Georgia mountain towns.

The whole area seems to be filled with vacation homes near Chatuge Lake for Atlanta-area residents, and that growth seems to be spilling into NC a little bit.  So the NC 69 widening may have been the best use of highway funding for that particular NCDOT highway division that really doesn't seem to have very many other pressing needs with reasonable price tags (a completed Nantahala Gorge bypass for US 74 between Andrews and Bryson City is way out of reach).

Anyway, another example of widening up to a state line happens in Metro Charlotte with NC/SC 160.  This time, SC widened 160 up to the state line, and currently NC 160 (Steele Creek Rd) is a two to three lane slog all the way up to I-485.

[brian440i]

Georgia seems to have no interest with any State Line Crosses.
* Existing NC69 (4 Lanes)
* Under Construction US19 (4 Lanes) from US74/64 to GA State Line
* Existing NC60 Further West (4 Lanes)
* Even Tennessee68 (4 Lanes til shortly before) GA State Line

But the most egregious is the most active of the border roads:
* Existing US23 has to drop from 4 lanes to 3 lanes(2 South/1North) North of Dillard, GA before becoming 5 (2-1-2)Lanes at the NC State Line. 
PS
Don't get me wrong... the Turning Lane in Dillard 2-1-1 is much safer than a 2x2 with Cars stopped in a left lane to turn... but they could have carried the 5 lanes further and complete 4 lanes to the NC State Line (2.8 Miles  of Awkwardness between Atlanta and Franklin NC)