SOCASTEE, SC (WBTW) – The Palmetto Pointe Boulevard extension project is set to open as scheduled on November 30 and came in under budget, officials say.
The road project, which helps connect Palmetto Pointe Blvd. to Highway 544 near the Big Block Rd. intersection is one of Horry County’s Ride 3 Projects. It is the first project in this phase set to open.
Palmetto Glen HOA president, Lynn Baer says he has waited 15 for the Palmetto Pointe Blvd. extension to become a reality. Baer says the project creates a second access to his neighborhood, something he believes is necessary especially during emergencies.
“I had an incident with one of my neighbors; they had a stroke, and it took forever for the ambulance to get from Dick Pond Road, 544, 17, Palmetto Glenn, and at that point we said something has to happen,” Baer said.
Horry County council approved the Ride 3 Projects in 2016, implemented the plan in 2017, and began construction on Palmetto Pointe Blvd. in March of this year.
“We know we have growth happening here, we’ve got growth that’s already happened here, so a lot of these projects are helping to alleviate some of that growth, some of that traffic on our roadways, and certainly to improve traffic going forward,” Kelly Moore, Horry County spokesperson said.
Baer and his neighbors have weighed the pros and cons of the new road project, but they hope it will ultimately make their commutes more convenient, and give emergency vehicles better access to their neighborhood.
“The negative point that people will bring up to me is the additional traffic, they think that people on 544 will try to bypass going down to 17, which only time will tell. The fact that we can get police and ambulances and fire trucks back (here) outweighs any negatives,” Baer said.
Horry County officials say they still have to put up signage and complete the finishing touches before the road is safe for public use.