As a result of input from all of the various state and federal environmental resource agencies, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration have scaled down the study area to avoid impacts to the Great Pee Dee River floodplain. SCDOT presented the refined study area for the I-73 project to the Highway Commission at its July 22nd monthly meeting in Columbia.
The new study area follows the Great Pee Dee River at the North Carolina state line south to US 378 west of Conway, then travels along US 378 to US 501. It then follows US 501 to the coast and then north to the North Carolina state line. It then runs along the state line northwest to the Great Pee Dee River.
See below to download a high-resolution image.
SCDOT announced last month that it was pushing to get the Environmental Impact Study done in three years instead of the typical five-year timeframe. The reduced study area will enable SCDOT to focus its limited resources. Public meetings will be scheduled in the refined study area in early fall 2004.
Interstate 73 will ultimately run from the Myrtle Beach area to Michigan. The SCDOT is projecting that South Carolina’s portion will be completed in 10 years provided funding is identified.
The Executive Director of SCDOT is Elizabeth S. Mabry. The SCDOT Commission includes Chairman Tee Hooper of Greenville; Bob Harrell Sr., 1st Congressional District; John N. Hardee, 2nd Congressional District; Marion P. Carnell, 3rd Congressional District; William C. "Bud" Turner, 4th Congressional District; Bobby T. Jones, 5th Congressional District; and John M. "Moot" Truluck, 6th Congressional District.
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A high-resolution .jpg of the image above is available for download at:
http://www.scdot-transfer.org/scdotphotos/ReducedStudyArea07222004.jpg
A pdf file of the above image is available for download at:
http://www.scdot-transfer.org/scdotphotos/ReducedStudyArea_07222004.pdf
