CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Thursday the Ride III Tax commission discussed which roads will get funds from its nearly $600 million budget.
The commission only has until May to put together a final list, but they are making progress. There is a list of 13 road projects the commission feels confident will make the ballot.
The 13 projects are broken up into levels of difficulty, but Ride III Tax Commission Chairman, Eddie Dyer, says the levels of difficulty will not play into how the roads are constructed.
“They’re all going to start at the same time. I don’t think anyone should be concerned or upset if their project is not number one,” said Dyer.
He says just two commission meetings ago, they found out it would have an extra $60 million to spend.
That means more roads will see improvements, but the commission is tasked with deciding which roads need them.
Dyer says Highway 31 is at the top of the list, but it’s possible the state will pay for the improvements.
So now they’re considering six different roads including Fred Nash Boulevard, a road that got a lot of attention a few weeks ago when the city of Myrtle Beach closed it.
Dyer says the commission only has until May 17 to come up with its recommendations and there is still a lot to do.
“We’ll have to go out and hold some public input sessions around the county for people to be able to give us their opinion. Then we’ll have to draft up the actual document that we present to county council that they’re going give to the election commission if they vote to put this on the ballot,” he said.
And nothing will be official until November 2016, when voters have the final say if the Ride III options are selected.
Dyer spoke to Horry County Council last week. He requested any Ride II money left over after its radio purchase go to fund road projects that don’t make the Ride III cut.
Here is a full list of the Ride III Candidate Dirt Road Paving Projects.
