$4 billion in RIDE IV road projects heads to public input phase

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A new pay method could help kick-start some much-needed Horry County road improvement projects.

The RIDE IV Sales Tax Commission heads into the new year leaning toward collecting a 25-year transportation tax, allowing the county to tackle more road projects than ever before.

Switching to a transportation tax would allow the county to collect $4 billion over a 25-year collection period compared to $825 million if they stick with the seven-year RIDE funding.

In January, the RIDE IV Advisory Committee had nearly 35 projects to choose from totaling $3.5 billion, but would only have a $825 million budget if used RIDE funding.

The transportation tax would use the same 1-cent sales tax Horry County already collects but would quadruple the budget funding nearly every road project the county needs to keep up with the record growth.

“It’s a big county with a lot of needs,” said RIDE IV Sales Tax Commission Vice Chair William Goldfinch.

With additional funding, the RIDE IV Sales Tax Commission unanimously voted to add multiple Highway 90 improvements, such as four-lane widening, an issue residents living along the road say is long overdue.

“We just trying to safely get out of our neighborhoods,” said Amelia Wood.

Due to rising costs, road projects are much more expensive compared to previous RIDE projects, limiting the county to the number of projects they can address.

Several Horry County leaders and residents have expressed only one major concern about the transportation tax, and that’s the 25-year commitment.

“I think it will be hard to know where our needs are 20 years from now,” said Becky Ryan.

While the transportation tax would be a long-term commitment, Goldfinch says the projects submitted will offer something to each part of Horry County as our area continues to outgrow the current roadways.

Residents will also get their chance to see the plans before it heads to the ballot in November.

“I want to hear everyone’s perspective and make this a great project for decades to come,” said Goldfinch.

Several public input meetings will be held starting in January at the Academy for Technology and Academics, Carolina Forest Recreation Center, Conway, James R. Frazier Community Center, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and the South Strand Recreation Center.

The county will announce specific dates and times for these meetings in the coming weeks.

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