From 1982 to 2004
Efforts on the project that is now known as Interstate 73 began over 20 years ago. During this time, several specific actions by both the Federal and State of South Carolina governments have shaped the scope of the current study. A brief description of significant actions is detailed in the following actions.
1982 – US Congress passed an appropriation bill that required the study of designating and constructing a new highway connecting I-95 south to US 17 near Myrtle Beach.
1991 – US Congress passed (ISTEA) Intermodal Surface Transportation Equity Act and identified Interstate 73 as a high priority route from Detroit to Charleston, SC. Each state would have the flexibility to determine its preferred route location.
1994 – SCDOT commissioned a consultant to assist with compiling a feasibility study that focused on upgrading existing routes to provide a continuous multi-lane facility from Charleston to the North Carolina terminus.
1995 – Congress passed the National Highway System Designation Act that included a provision to make Interstate 73 eligible for the Interstate Highway System contingent upon meeting interstate design and connectivity standards.
1998 – Congress passed (TEA-21) Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century, which amended previous Interstate 73 legislation. TEA-21 changed the ending point of Interstate 73 in South Carolina by limiting the corridor to the Conway, Myrtle Beach and Georgetown areas. TEA-21 also mandated that the highway be designed to meet interstate standards.
2002 – SCDOT initiated an internal study of Interstate 73 to focus on identifying new location alternatives that would be built to interstate standards.
2003 – A congressional earmark of $3 million was approved for I-73. SCDOT Commission approved the use of a consultant to complete an initial environmental document.
2004 – SCDOT selected a consultant to begin the environmental study process. Two Notices of Intent (one for a project from I-95 to the South Carolina/North Carolina State line, and another for a project from I-95 to the Myrtle Beach area) were published in August. Two Public Scoping Meetings (one in Mullins and one in Conway) were conducted in September to obtain input from residents within the Study Area to determine critical issues.
Northern Project History
2005 – Public Involvement efforts began with two Public Scoping Meetings (August 30, 2005 in Bennettsville and November 28, 2005 in Hamlet, North Carolina).
2006 – Public Involvement continued with two Public Information Meetings (September 7, 2006 in Bennettsville and September 12, 2006 in Hamlet).
2007 – Two Public Hearings to present the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, approved in July 2007, and the recommended Preferred Alternative were conducted on August 14, 2007 in Bennettsville and August 28, 2007 in Hamlet.
2008 – The Final Environmental Impact Statement was signed on August 6, 2008.
2008 – The Record of Decision was signed on October 22, 2008.
Northern Project Current Status
A permit application for the proposed wetland and stream impacts is being prepared
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permit for impacts to wetlands, streams, and other jurisdictional waters is being prepared for the I-73 project. After the final right of way plans were received and the design changes were made, the amount of wetland impacts were reduced from the amounts shown in the Environmental Impact Statements for both I-73 North and I-73 South. The permit application is in its final stages of preparation. SCDOT is working with the USACE to develop this major permit application. This permit will include potential construction impacts and a plan for providing mitigation for the unavoidable wetland and stream impacts associated with I-73.
Southern Project History
The SCDOT and the FHWA approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement document on November 29, 2007.
S.C. Secretary of Transportation H.B. “Buck” Limehouse and U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Thomas Barrett signed the Record of Decision for the I-73 South project on February 8, 2007. This represents the final approval of the I-73 EIS Study process.
2004 - Public Involvement efforts began with two Public Scoping Meetings (September 18, 2004 in Mullins and September 21, 2001 in Conway).
2005 – Public Involvement continued with four Public Information Meetings (March 8, 2005 in Dillon, March 10 in Myrtle Beach, March 22 in Aynor, and May 3 in Mullins).
2006 – Three Public Hearings to present the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the recommended Preferred Alternative were conducted on June 15, 2006 in Aynor, June 20 in Mullins, and June 22 in Dillon.
2007 – The Final Environmental Impact Statement was approved by the FHWA and SCDOT on November 29, 2007.
2008 – S.C. Secretary of Transportation H.B. “Buck” Limehouse and U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Thomas Barrett signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for I-73 South during a brief ceremony in Myrtle Beach.
2009 – (May) The SCDOT Commission approved the following path forward for the I-73 project in South Carolina in May 2009. Within the limits of available funding, the Commission reaffirms its previous action authorizing the Department to submit a wetland permit application for the complete I-73 project in South Carolina; complete the ROW plans for I-73 South; and complete ROW acquisition for parcels that would be taken entirely for I-73 South. In addition, the Commission authorized the Department to only pursue right-of-way acquisition as necessary to construct a segment of I-73 from I-95 to US 501, and only within the available funding, until January 2011 or until additional project funding is available. The SCDOT Commission will pursue additional funding necessary to construct a segment of I-73 from I-95 to US 501. If this funding cannot be secured before January 2011, the Commission authorizes the Department to continue pursuing I-73 right of way acquisition outside the I-95 to US 501 segment based on the project limits set forth in the approved Final Environmental Impact Statement, but only within the available project funding.
2009 – (May) A Value Engineering Study was conducted that evaluated ways to improve design and further minimize construction costs for the I-73 South project, which resulted in over $45 million savings in construction costs.
2009 – (August) A public information meeting was held showing the ROW plans for the portion of I-73 South from I-95 to US 501 in Dillon County.
2009 – (September) The Final ROW plans were completed for I-73 South.
2010 – The I-73 South Re-evaluation was approved by FHWA and SCDOT May 7, 2010.
Southern Project Current Status
A permit application for the proposed wetland and stream impacts is being prepared
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permit for impacts to wetlands, streams, and other jurisdictional waters is being prepared for the I-73 project. After the final right of way plans were received and the design changes were made, the amount of wetland impacts were reduced from the amounts shown in the Environmental Impact Statements for both I-73 North and I-73 South. The permit application is in its final stages of preparation. SCDOT is working with the USACE to develop this major permit application. This permit will include potential construction impacts and a plan for providing mitigation for the unavoidable wetland and stream impacts associated with I-73.
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