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Thanks for the info. That's a pretty serious road project. I was initially thinking that it was just a "local", to SC, project.
Very true.. I havent researched how much has been completed along the entire length.. but I know a lot has been done in NC. I would have loved for it to dip further south towards my college home... Florence. But, it should still be a boost to the parts of the Pee Dee that need it the most not to mention Myrtle Beach
Very true.. I havent researched how much has been completed along the entire length.. but I know a lot has been done in NC. I would have loved for it to dip further south towards my college home... Florence. But, it should still be a boost to the parts of the Pee Dee that need it the most not to mention Myrtle Beach
My trips from western NY to Myrtle Beach relied on US Route 15, to travel through Pennsylvania, and route 15 goes through the northern extremes of the Alleghany mountains. Consequently, Route 15, for a long time, was a narrow, hilly, 2 lane road, carved out of the sides of the mountains, and was a real "adventure" to travel on.
I remember reporting back to my friend, who owned the condo in MB that I rented, that while I very much liked his condo, and enjoyed spending time in MB, the travel through PA put a slight bit of a damper on the vacation. He replied, "Don't worry, in another 5-6 years, 15 will be 4 lanes all the way through PA". He made that comment in 1980, and even today, 40 years later, while the situation has GREATLY improved, Route 15 still isn't 4 lanes "all the way through PA".
If this Route 73 project is so critical to the growth/survival of SC, I hope, for your sake, that it progresses quicker than the Route 15 re-construction did.....
My trips from western NY to Myrtle Beach relied on US Route 15, to travel through Pennsylvania, and route 15 goes through the northern extremes of the Alleghany mountains. Consequently, Route 15, for a long time, was a narrow, hilly, 2 lane road, carved out of the sides of the mountains, and was a real "adventure" to travel on.
I remember reporting back to my friend, who owned the condo in MB that I rented, that while I very much liked his condo, and enjoyed spending time in MB, the travel through PA put a slight bit of a damper on the vacation. He replied, "Don't worry, in another 5-6 years, 15 will be 4 lanes all the way through PA". He made that comment in 1980, and even today, 40 years later, while the situation has GREATLY improved, Route 15 still isn't 4 lanes "all the way through PA".
If this Route 73 project is so critical to the growth/survival of SC, I hope, for your sake, that it progresses quicker than the Route 15 re-construction did.....
I think Myrtle Beach is such a draw that the growth has and will continue to come to the Myrtle Beach area.. The problem is congestion and traffic in some of the surrounding areas as some of the roads may not be able to handle the volume. Having the highway will ease that access and (potentially) reduce the travel time and that may cause the growth in Horry County and Myrtle Beach to slowly spread up said highway into some of these other areas of what we call the Pee Dee which have been historically rural, agricultural and poorer Counties even by SC standards...It too has been decades in the planning with $$ being the main hold up.. Like US 15 as you have described.....SC Hwy 38 and US Hwy 501 have been improved to four lanes to handle traffic coming from I-95 but there are way too many driveways, local roads, towns, stores/roadside retail and what not that intersect with it and it really needs to be limited access. Seems like the governor has cleared the way for that to happen (with I-73) so I suspect the clock is counting down towards construction as opposed to the more delays.. Atleast I hope... LOL
Last edited by Woodlands; 11-26-2021 at 08:17 AM..
I think Myrtle Beach is such a draw that the growth has and will continue to come to the Myrtle Beach area.. The problem is congestion and traffic in some of the surrounding areas as some of the roads may not be able to handle the volume. Having the highway will ease that access and (potentially) reduce the travel time and that may cause the growth in Horry County and Myrtle Beach to slowly spread up said highway into some of these other areas of what we call the Pee Dee which have been historically rural, agricultural and poorer Counties even by SC standards...It too has been decades in the planning with $$ being the main hold up.. Like US 15 as you have described.....SC Hwy 38 and US Hwy 501 have been improved to four lanes to handle traffic coming from I-95 but there are way too many driveways, local roads, towns, stores/roadside retail and what not that intersect with it and it really needs to be limited access. Seems like the governor has cleared the way for that to happen (with I-73) so I suspect the clock is counting down towards construction as opposed to the more delays.. Atleast I hope... LOL
I know what you mean, about the rural roads. Even though the Interstate highways allow you to travel (legally) at 65-70MPH, they're generally a longer route. I'm one of those people who look for the shortest route that's practical, and go from there, because sometimes, it turns out to be quicker......and even if it's not all that much quicker, it's more scenic.
Having said that, I initially came south on I-95, exiting it in the Smithfield, NC area, on to State Route 701 south. I then followed 701 to Clinton, NC, and picked up State Route 421, following that, to Wilmington, where I would pick up State Route 17, and then on to MB.
In later years, after I-40 was constructed, I changed the route slightly, as I'd exit I-95, again at the Smithfield exit, but only follow 701 as far as Newton Grove, NC. There, I'd pick up I-40, and follow that to Wilmington, then on to 17, into MB. That was a shorter deal for me, because I was staying in North Myrtle beach, and was actually a pretty good route, after 17 was widened to 4 lanes.
(as I think back, over 40 years, I think the very first time I made the trip, I think that I followed 701 further south, and it intersected with route 9, which I followed right to Ocean Drive..........)
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