A quarterly e-newsletter providing information about infrastructure projects coordinated by Horry County, including those within the RIDE Program.

Road Talks with David Gilreath

In this edition of Road Talks with David Gilreath, the Assistant County Administrator of Infrastructure and Regulation is walking us through the funding structure of RIDE 4 and how it compares to previous RIDE Programs.

Letters from Horry County Leaders

Barry Spivey - Horry County Administrator

Dear Horry County Residents and Partners,

I am sure that you would agree with me that planning, especially long-range planning, is a difficult task at best. Given the vast number of pressing community needs and frequent citizen inquiries, it is these difficult, essential plans that are most worthy of our time and energy investment. 

Here at your County Government, we engage in several planning processes that are critical to our efficient and effective delivery of services.

Your Government, Team Horry, engages in strategic planning to set our vision, mission, values, and goals, which are foundational to our Comprehensive Planning, Capital Improvement Plan, and Annual Budgeting processes. All planning must be flexible, adaptive, and evolving to address the ever-changing needs of our community.

Team Horry began an update of our strategic plan earlier this year and presented our progress at County Council’s Fall Planning Retreat. This planning meeting each year is integral for the annual budget process. We discuss direction, priorities, and needs prior to the development of Staff’s budget recommendation which will be presented to Council at the Spring Budget Retreat. 

Our strategic plan helps us to focus on what matters most, use taxpayers’ dollars wisely, improve how we serve, make decisions with purpose, and stay accountable to the people we serve. I believe Horry County Government exists to serve our community. This includes our Citizens in the unincorporated areas of the county as well as municipalities.

Our strategic plan contains our guiding principles; our mission, vision, and values to guide how we lead and serve. The mission reflects our commitment to building a bright future for Horry County by delivering public services with excellence, protecting what makes our community special, and creating opportunities through progress and partnerships.

Our vision for Horry County is a safe and healthy community that recognizes and respects our rural heritage, maintains a focus on future growth and economic diversification, and partners to provide the infrastructure necessary to drive long term sustainability. Our core values reflect who we are, what we stand for, and the values we uphold in every department, every interaction, every day. The updated values create a new Horry Way as we have focused on the values of character, collaboration, service, caring, and quality. Our updated strategic plan adopts four focus areas of community relations, employee relations and internal trust, growth and quality of life, and fiscal responsibility. Each focus area is defined with a goal, enumerated desired results, and strategies to achieve. During the development of our 2027 budget recommendation, our team will be defining action items and measurements to define the success of those strategies.

For me, the quality of life within our community is the most important element within the plan. Our community’s rapid growth is ever challenging that quality. We must work together with all of our local governments, community partners, and private sector as we can all accomplish more together than we can ever do alone.

Each investment and each decision we make affects every resident, visitor, and business owner in our county. Each year, residents, visitors, and business owners invest in our community through taxes and fees. We are dedicated to delivering efficient services to all, ensuring responsible stewardship of their valuable contributions. I am thankful to work with a Council who has a vision and a passion to make tomorrow better than today.

Sincerely,

Barry Spivey

Horry County Administrator

U.S. Highway 701 Widening Update

Another major RIDE 3 project has been completed.

Those who travel U.S. Highway 701 are enjoying a smoother commute from Dogwood Street to S.C. - Highway 9 in Loris. The roadway now has turn lanes and sidewalks to increase safety and efficiency for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

SC - 31 EXTENSION UPDATE

Known as Carolina Bays Parkway, the SC – 31 extension within Horry County is funded by RIDE, but the project is managed through a partnership between the S.C. Department of Transportation and N.C. Department of Transportation. 

The extension will be from SC – 9 in Horry County across the North Carolina state line to U.S. 17 in Brunswick County. 

Two open house type public meetings were held in October, to review project details, allow community members to examine maps of the seven routes that are under consideration and compile public input. The public input window closed in November and a decision on the extension route will be made in 2026.

Watch the video below for an extensive overview of the proposed project.

SCDOT UPDATES ON MAJOR PROJECTS

The SCDOT is the lead agency on several current major construction projects. Any construction that occurs on a federal or state roadway is managed by our partners at the SCDOT.

The following information was provided by SCDOT on these improvement projects.

U.S. Highway 701 Widening Update (SC 319 to SC 22)

Progress is beginning on US – 701 widening with a Notice to Proceed having been issued to the contractor. Preconstruction meetings are ongoing, and the contractor is expected to begin work after the new year.

Drivers are asked to remain aware of construction signs as additional work is expected to begin soon.



The improved road will feature 5-lanes including a center turn lane and installation of bike/pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks and wider travel lanes.

U.S. 501 Realignment

Utility work along 7^th Avenue heading toward Chester Street was completed by Thanksgiving and paving of the old concrete island locations on US-17 Business between 6^th and 8^th Avenue has been started.  

Demolition of the buildings located on Main Street has been approved and is expected to start mid-January.

The current estimated completion date for this project is Fall of 2026.

S.C. 9 Business

All storm drainage for the project was completed by the start of December, and a traffic signal was installed at the intersection of SC-9 and Heritage Road.

Concrete crews are installing curb and gutter section at the intersection of SC-9 and SC-66. The new round–a–bout is also getting curb and gutter installation.



The current estimated completion date for this project is Winter of 2025.

Fred Nash Boulevard

Work on Fred Nash Blvd. is complete and updates to Harrelson Blvd. are in the final stages. 

The finish surfacing has been applied on Harrelson Blvd. and crews are starting the thermoplastic and raised pavement markings. 

Overhead sign installation has begun, and concrete crews will install remaining concrete islands on Harrelson Blvd. during the month of December.

The current estimated completion date for this project is the end of 2025.

U.S. 17 Business Intersection Improvements (Garden City)

Drivers in Garden City have seen construction barrels and the start of work along US- 17 Business.

Clearing and grubbing operations are ongoing along Tadlock Drive and starting in the median between Atlantic Avenue and Cypress Avenue. 

The process of demolishing the old El Cerro restaurant building has been approved and work has begun.

Work is going on in stages and once completed, this project will improve the following four intersections along US 17 Business:

• U.S. 17 Business @ Inlet Square Mall/Mt. Gilead Road
• U.S. 17 Business @ Atlantic Avenue
• U.S. 17 Business @ Garden City Connector/Pine Avenue
• U.S. 17 Business @ Tadlock Drive

Forestbrook Road

The clearing and grubbing contract bidding process has started and the letting date is December 9, 2025.

Clearing and grubbing, removal of vegetation within the construction area will be the first visible step in the widening project.

When completed, Forestbrook Road will feature 5-lanes, including a center turn-lane, wider travel lanes for bicyclists, and sidewalks for pedestrians.

The overall objectives for this RIDE-funded project is to increase road capacity, improve the flow of traffic, reduce congestion, strengthen access to other major roadways, and to improve overall safety.

The project is expected to be completed in 2029 at an anticipated total cost of $110 million.

U.S. Hwy. 501 Widening

Crews are conducting overnight paving operations from Gardner Lacy Road to SC – 544 to reduce traffic impact.  Drivers can expect overnight paving operations to continue throughout the end of the year.

The six-lane widening expands capacity on US - 501 in both directions, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion. 

Currently, this project is estimated to be completed in the fall of 2026. 

RIDE 3 DIRT ROAD PAVING PROJECTS

A large component of RIDE 3 are the dirt road paving projects. These projects are divided among four groups. At this time, construction is underway on roads in Group 3.

Norris Road is currently being prepared for asphalt paving.

Tranquil Road has begun grading the subgrade, excavating ditches and constructing shoulders.

Maplewild Road has clearing and grubbing operations and storm drainage installation happening.

The Notice to Proceed has been issued for Bedford Road and Birchfield Drive and bidding has opened for Sweet Home Road.

Want more details on the construction groupings? 

RIDE 4 DIRT ROAD PAVING PROJECTS

RIDE 4 includes the paving of 200 miles of Horry County’s dirt roads from years 2025 through 2040.

During a Horry County Council meeting on September 16, leaders approved a plan to pave these roads in three groups.

Work on Group 1, which includes 40 miles of dirt roads, is expected to run from years 2025 to 2030.

The paving of the 80 miles of roads in Group 2 is set to commence between years 2031 and 2035.

Roads in Group 3, the final stage, totaling 80 additional miles, are expected to be paved from 2036 to 2040.

Some benefits of paving these roads include improved surface quality and durability, improved traffic flow, increased safety and long-term cost efficiency.

Garden City Streetscape Project

Horry County is working with local partners to enhance the aesthetics in Garden City while also providing a higher level of utility service during inclement weather.

The Garden City Streetscape Project is currently in the permitting stage. This multi-phase project involves the relocation of overhead utilities underground, the installation of drainage improvements, and sidewalks in the area.

Phase one includes Waccamaw Drive from the Georgetown County line to Magnolia Avenue, as well as Atlantic Avenue from Waccamaw Drive to the marsh.

The consultant for Santee Cooper and Horry County is currently working to contact some of the homeowners and business owners along the following streets regarding easements for the project:

-South Waccamaw Drive (Georgetown County line to Magnolia Avenue)

-Atlantic Avenue (from the marsh to South Waccamaw Drive)

-South Dogwood Drive (from Magnolia Avenue to Azalea Avenue)

-Magnolia Avenue

-Azalea Avenue

-Holly Avenue

If you own property in these areas, please watch for communications by mail or phone with additional project details.

The scope of the streetscape project extends beyond the power utilities in Garden City. The five-phase project will also improve drainage, reduce the impacts of high tides, and enhance water quality.



When complete, residents and visitors will also notice brighter street lighting, additional parking, new pedestrian crosswalks at all major intersections, and new asphalt along Waccamaw Drive.

Horry County Oyster Stewardship Program

Horry County Council passed a resolution to recognize the Horry County Oyster Stewardship Program.



The Horry County Oyster Stewardship Program focuses on the installation and propagation of oyster basket systems designed to improve water quality and stabilize sediments within marsh systems.

More than 400 Manufactured Wire Reefs (MWRs) have been installed within Horry County's marsh systems, creating the largest man-made oyster reef in South Carolina-an effort that engages students and residents in hands-on restoration, expands awareness of coastal sustainability, and contributes to the filtration of an estimated 133 million gallons of water per day.

This initiative exemplifies Horry County's long-term commitment to environmental stewardship, public engagement, and sustainable practices that support both natural systems and community resilience.

Horry County continues to work with our partners at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to increase oyster shell recycling in our community. Residents, organizations, and businesses are encouraged to bring oyster shells to designated drop-off locations.

Oyster Shell Recycling Locations

FAQ: HOW DO I CHECK THE STATUS OF A RIDE PROJECT?

Horry County's new website — roads.horrycountysc.gov — allows you to track the status of infrastructure projects, including RIDE initiatives.

Use the menu to filter by current or future projects, or search directly from the homepage.



You can find basic project information on the projects table or click on a project for additional details. Each project page features this phase graphic at the bottom for quick updates:

Watch the video below for a step-by-step guide to tracking project progress.

Upcoming Events & Public Information Meetings

Going forward, as events and public information meetings are scheduled related to infrastructure projects and programs in Horry County, details and any related attachments will be provided in this section.



Meeting details are also available online here.

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Information about SCDOT public comment and meeting notices for all counties in South Carolina can be found on the SCDOT website.

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Want to learn more about the history of Horry County's RIDE programs?

Check out the Horry County Roads website or watch the YouTube video below.

Find more about overall Horry County meetings and events on our website.

In addition to Future in Focus, community members and visitors can register to receive the Weekly Update each Friday in your email inbox. Sign up for updates here.

For media inquiries, please contact the Horry County Public Information Office.