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
The Project Team is completing field investigations along the recommended Preferred Alternative. The Project Team has also evaluated several modifications to the alignment presented at the Public Hearing in order to further reduce impacts to the human and the natural environments. Efforts to complete these efforts and the Final Environmental Impact Statement are continuing. It is anticipated that this project will be completed by mid-2008.
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.
Southern Project Current Status
A contract was awarded in September 2008 for the preparation of the right-of-way plans. The plans are to be complete by the end of September 2009. These plans will allow the right-of-way acquisition to proceed. The purchase of some tracts that involved taking each entire tract for the right-of-way has already begun, but the rest of the right-of-way acquisition will start after September 2009.
The SCDOT Commission at its May 2009 meeting approved the following path forward for the I-73 project in South Carolina:
Within the limits of available funding, the Commission reaffirms its previous action authorizing the Department to:
• Submit a permit application for wetland impacts for the complete I-73 project from the North Carolina Line to SC 22 (Conway Bypass);
• Complete the right-of-way plans for the southern phase of the project from I-95 to SC 22; and,
• Complete the right-of-way acquisition for total takes currently underway within the southern phase of the project from I-95 to SC 22.
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.
The public is invited to attend a Public Information Meeting showing the design for the segment of I-73 south of I-95 in Dillon County. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Latta High School Gymnasium from 4 pm to 7 pm on August 25, 2009. The plans will show only the right-of-way to be acquired between I-95 and US 501 in Dillon County.
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