Congressman Tom Rice has asked Governor Henry McMaster to amend his application for hurricane relief funding to include funds for the I-73 project.
Congressman Rice wrote to Gov. McMaster on Monday “urging him to amend the application to the federal government for Hurricane relief to include immediate funding for I-73 as an adequate evacuation route,” according to a press release from U.S. Congressman Tom Rice.
According to the release, Congressman Rice released the following statement upon sending the letter:
“While South Carolina has made improvements to hurricane evacuation planning, our inadequate and outdated infrastructure exacerbates the safety risks and economic impacts of a natural disaster in the Grand Strand. Insufficient roadways have put 250,000 of my constituents at risk of having absolutely no lifeline to the rest of state for up to two weeks, with limited access to food, water, medical supplies, and other necessities. In the wake of Hurricane Florence’s devastation, and the ongoing, life-threatening risks it poses to our residents, funding an adequate evacuation route for the Grand Strand needs to be a top priority.”
A copy of Congressman Rice’s letter reads, in part:
“While South Carolina has made improvements to hurricane evacuation planning, the inadequate and outdated road system exacerbates the impacts of a natural disaster. The primary evacuation route for Grand Strand residents and tourists is US-501, followed by SC-9. While lane reversals on US-501 have modestly reduced evacuation times, multiple sections of SC-9 have been closed due to flooding.
The Grand Strand requires an adequate evacuation route to quickly and safely move individuals from natural disasters, and back home, when the disaster subsides. Interstate 73 will fulfill this need. Studies show that the portion of I-73 from the Grand Strand to I-95 will reduce evacuation times by 11 to 15 hours.”
Congressman Rice’s full letter can be read here.