The community-led Transportation Advisory Committee met Wednesday, March 11, and continued gathering information and prioritizing a list of transportation-related projects for consideration in the November referendum. 

Lowcountry Council of Government Planning Director Stephanie Rossi gave a presentation to the committee outlining transportation projects studies, those in planning stages, in progress and projects to be completed in the future. She reviewed each stage of the timeline and federal guidelines and criteria that need to be considered for every transportation-related project in "urbanized areas"--those areas with more than 50,000 residents. Watch Ms. Rossi's presentation here.

Next, Hilton Head Island Assistant Town Manager Shawn Gillen gave a brief presentation of Hilton Head Island's priority transportation projects. He presented statistics about population growth and demographics and the yearly number of full time residents compared to tourists and encouraged the committee to consider the proposed road projects all of which included improvements to help ease increased traffic congestion, expanded bikeways and pathways that will increase safety in school zones, and both residential neighborhoods and commercial business areas. Watch Mr. Gillen's presentation here.

Members of the Transportation Advisory Committee will continue to go back to their districts to listen to residents' concerns and suggestions of traffic-related issues then compile as comprehensive a list as possible with special attention being paid to cost and project scope and size--which will then be submitted to County Council for referendum consideration.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 18, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Beaufort City Hall, Planning Conference Room (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.