State and local dignitaries attended the opening ceremony of the Fantasy Harbour Bridge in Myrtle Beach on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

The Fantasy Harbour bridge project is part of Horry County’s Road Improvement Development Effort (RIDE) program and is a cooperative effort of Horry County, the South Carolina State Transportation Infrastructure Bank, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the City of Myrtle Beach.

Scheduled speakers included Don Leonard, Chairman of the South Carolina State Transportation Infrastructure Bank; SCDOT Commissioner Danny Isaac, representing the 1st Congressional District; Liz Gilland, Chairman of Horry County Council; Horry County Councilman Gary Loftus; Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes; and SCDOT Program Manager Mike Barbee.

The project is on budget and on schedule. The bridge is set to open to traffic on the afternoon of July 1, barring unforeseen circumstances.

The 1,800 foot-long Fantasy Harbour Bridge spans the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and will serve as a vital link in the regional transportation network by connecting the interchange at US-17 Bypass and Harrelson Boulevard to George Bishop Parkway and other local roads on the west side of the Waterway.

This project will increase mobility and connectivity in the region and provide congestion relief to existing facilities.  The project also includes a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists.

  The total cost of the project is $46 million. The consulting engineer was STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates, and the contractor was R.R. Dawson, Inc.

The South Carolina Secretary of Transportation is H. B. “Buck” Limehouse Jr. The SCDOT Commission includes Chairman F. Hugh Atkins, 4th Congressional District; Danny H. Isaac Jr., 1st Congressional District; Henry H. Taylor, 2nd Congressional District; R. Eddie Adams, 3rd Congressional District; Sarah B. Nuckles, 5th Congressional District; Marvin Stevenson, 6th Congressional District; and Tee Hooper, Governor’s At-Large Appointee.

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