The community-led Transportation Advisory Committee met Wednesday, February 25, and began discussing and prioritizing a list of transportation-related projects for consideration in the November referendum. 

The committee reviewed the various traffic studies they received from Beaufort County Engineering Director Bryan Bauer in order to get a clearer idea of what's been studied previously, what projects are in progress and what issues still need to be addressed. These studies will help determine the committee's project priorities and funding costs. 

Mr. Bauer provided more information on the traffic studies and Assistant County Administrator--Infrastructure Jared Fralix and Kelsie Floyd, Beaufort County Right of Way Manager gave a brief overview and created a GIS desktop to help more clearly define the scope of some projects. The GIS desktop breaks them down into categories of widening intersection improvements and resurfacing: four road widening projects, 28 intersection safety projects and 15 resurfacing projects. 

Watch Kelsie's GIS Desktop presentation here.

Craig Wynn, SC DOT Lowcountry Program Manager gave a brief update on how SD DOT is trying to position South Carolina to handle population growth, changing trends and managing the fourth largest highway system in the country. SC DOT is managing roughly $7 billion in construction projects, roads and bridges and resurfacing. Highway 278 is a priority as well as replacing Mackey Creek Bridge, improving access to Skull Creek and Pinkney Island.

Watch his presentation here.

Many of the projects the committee discussed were funded in part by the state's Gas Tax. Unfortunately costs increased and the gas tax didn't keep up which created funding shortfalls. The committee is hoping that by building on what has already been studied and choosing projects that have been started or are in progress or are a priority, the proposed transportation penny tax will cover costs and meet the County's growing infrastructure needs in a responsible way that helps the public engage, show responsible investment of funding, while protecting our Lowcountry beauty, way of life and wildlife.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 4, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Bluffton's New Riverside Barn, 30 Red Barn Drive (map). The public is invited to attend.

Meetings will be held at locations around the County so they will be convenient for everyone to be able to attend at least one. The deadline for the committee to submit a final recommendation of projects to County Council for consideration is Monday, May 11. The meeting schedule voted on by the TAC can be found here.

All committee information, projects and priorities can be found at beaufortcountypenny.com.

To watch the meeting in its entirety, click here.