Beaufort County conducts traffic study on US 278 in Okatie

Beaufort County said it is studying a three-mile section of U.S. 278 in Okatie as it works to address “increased congestion and safety concerns.” 

Texas-based consulting firm AECOM has been hired to complete an access management study of the highway, also known as Fording Island Road, from the Argent Boulevard intersection to the S.C. 170 (Okatie Highway) interchange. 

The county said the three-mile stretch of U.S. 278 “has experienced significant growth” and is used by about 31,000 vehicles per day. 

“The study will develop management strategies to minimize traffic congestion and improve safety and traffic flow,” the county said in a news release. 

The study began in March and is expected to be completed this fall, the county said. Residents can provide input at https://wikimapping.com/us278camp.html through Thursday. 

“This wiki map site offers a place for citizens to leave comments for the project team about specific locations on the corridor,” the release said. “It also includes general project information and answers frequently asked questions.” 

Residents also can submit comments to capital projects coordinator Brittanee Fields at brittanee.fields@bcgov.net or 2266 Boundary St., Beaufort, SC 29902. 

The county said “potential access management strategies” could include “intersection improvements to relieve congestion, interconnectivity between parcels, geometric improvements to improve safety, bike/pedestrian considerations, and signal timing.” It said “no final decisions have been made” because the study has not been completed. 

“A possible widening of the road combined with access management strategies and signal improvements are expected to improve safety and traffic flow,” the release said. “By implementing various strategies, the corridor is expected to accommodate growth in traffic volumes, provide safe access, limit signalization to key locations, and provide opportunities for landscaping and multimodal uses. 

“The purpose of this study is to analyze the traffic and growth patterns and to make recommendations on where access management and additional strategies could most benefit the corridor.” 

The county said it is leading the project but also partnering with Jasper County, Hardeeville, the Lowcountry Council of Governments and the South Carolina Department of Transportation.