MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)-A South Carolina judge ruled against bear tunnels in the ongoing international drive debate. The judge sided with Horry County and DHEC.
The talk of paving international drive has gone on for at least eight years now and it looks like the paving project will finally happen and both county officials and Horry County residents say the judge’s ruling is a big win.
Safety and convenience. That is why most people want international drive paved.
“501 is terrible, it’s very very congested, some of the traffic lights you have to sit there for five minutes.”
Elmo Saunders is retired and lives in the farm neighborhood. He tries to avoid 501 but sometimes it’s impossible.
“If you have an appointment and you have to be somewhere well you have to take your changes and go, you just go a half hour early.”
Horry county council member Johnny Vaught agrees 501 is a problem.
“501 is a parking lot. Everyone knows that. And it has been a parking lot and in fact, I think they’re saying it’s fifty something percent overused right now.”
International drive will eliminate a lot of traffic on 501 since many people use it as a route to get to highway 90. People will be able to get where they’re going faster and that includes first responders.
“Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, like people needing to get to the hospital in a hurry they can’t get over to a hospital off of 17 or anywhere over there without going over to 501 or without going to 22.”
Saunders says now that he’s retired and may need to get to a hospital fast and he’s all for more ways to get there.
“I believe it would make people safer, it would be good for the fire department, the police department, and I think everyone would feel safer with another route.”
The only thing standing in the way of the project is if the environmentalist will appeal the judge’s ruling.
In a press release from the South Carolina environmental law project, members released a statement saying in part “while we are disappointed in the substance of the judge’s order. We have already identified several legal and factual flaws in his analysis. Over the next 29 days we will undertake a thorough review and analysis of the errors in the judge’s opinion in order to fully assess all options and make an informed decision about an appeal.”
Councilman Johnny Vaught says he’s not worried if they do appeal.
“We don’t see that they have anything to stand on. Any issues to stand on. The judge shot down every position that they posed in the trial.”
Depending on what happens with the appeals that could delay the project for another two years.
Count on News13 to keep you covered.
