Beaufort Co. reviews 75 million dollars. USA Ribaut Rd. fix, but many early votes on the new tax have already taken place

Thousands of Beaufort County voters have already cast early ballots, and as others prepare to head to the polls in a few days, one of the most important decisions they will make is whether to approve or reject a 1 percent sales tax increase to improve local roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects.

It could be as simple and harmless as a “penny sales tax,” but the total burden on county shoppers is expected to be $950 million.

The problem is that county voters are being asked to approve a referendum, while the details of one of the projects included, which makes up more than 8 percent of the total, remain unclear about what it will look like when completed.

The project that was at the center of the discussion at the last minute is this Rethink the Ribaut road changes to Port Royal and Beaufort, totaling $75 million They demand 950 million dollarst through the penny tax. Beaufort County leaders on Friday announced new design options for parts of the project in response to Beaufort residents who criticized it when it was first proposed a year and a half ago.

The meeting to explain the latest changes was called for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Lowcountry Technical College, less than two weeks before the traditional Nov. 5 election day, when the sales tax issue will be put on the ballot.

One expert said that voters should be aware that they will not have all the design details of the projects Referendum for 950 million dollars because most are still far from the design stage, although funding is being sought on November 5. That the projects are included in the referendum is an acknowledgment that there is a problem that needs to be solved.

“And how they should be fixed is an open question to me, in almost all cases,” said Dean Moss of Port Royal, chairman of the Public Transportation Advisory Committee, which studied the referendum projects for the county.

Changes announced

The Ribaut Road project has progressed further than most projects since the county first sought public comment in April 2023.

The purpose of Friday’s open house is for residents to view updated design alternatives, share thoughts and concerns, learn more about the project’s status and next steps, the county said.

The idea of ​​reducing traffic lanes was failed

Jared Fralix, the county’s assistant administrator for engineering, said county officials want residents to be aware of the new design options ahead of the referendum. The county specifically wanted residents to know that the original proposal to reduce lanes from 4 to 3 between Lowcountry Technical College and Depot Road “isn’t what we’re going for.”

This is an important event for the people of Beaufort. When improvements to Ribeaud Road first came out last year, Beaufort residents complained about the lane reduction, which was billed as a “traffic calming” measure.

Now, based on that feedback, Beaufort County is proposing changes that it hopes will make the project more palatable. “There will be alternatives that don’t have lane reductions,” Fralix said.

The “Reimagine Ribaut” project is proposed to solve the problems of congested roads, which are used by about 32,000 passengers every day. The plan calls for the construction of roads, intersections, pedestrian and bicycle paths along 5.5 miles from Bell Bridge in Port Royal to Boundy Street in Beaufort to improve road flow and make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to pass and cross. Aesthetic updates to make it look better are also part of it.

The main road in Beaufort and Port Royal not only connects these communities, but also serves as one of the few access points for motorists to reach Lady’s Island. But like the aging sewer line, traffic is constantly increasing, resulting in long lines of cars at major intersections, especially during morning and evening commutes.

The $75 million earmarked for the work from the referendum should comfortably cover the cost of the entire Ribeau Road project, Fralix said.

“The goal all along was to get the plan ready before the referendum,” Fralix said.

Other notable changes to be discussed Friday include new design alternatives for the busy Lady’s Island Drive-Rebound Road intersection and changes for intersections where roundabouts were planned, Fralix said.

“That’s us coming back with plan updates based on what we’ve heard,” Fralix said.

Without a doubt, Ribeau Road needs improvement

Moss, of Port Royal, says there’s no doubt that Ribeau Road needs improvement.

Drivers trying to turn right onto Lady’s Island Drive, Moss noted, are causing traffic delays of nearly half a mile to Paris Avenue near Old Port Royal Village. Moss would like to see more crosswalks on the road and bury power lines, which he says will not only improve the appearance of the road, but also reduce the severity of power outages during hurricane season. If the project allows the Ribaut to carry the same amount of traffic better and more safely, making it more attractive, Moss said, “You’ve made progress.”

But Moss, who supports the penny tax referendum, doesn’t think the Ribeau Road project should move forward until it’s approved by Beaufort and Port Royal councils.

“That’s one of the reasons why it was controversial,” Moss said. “Having this meeting on Friday is good, but I think both the city and the city need to say, ‘Let’s step back for a while and let’s spend some time working on this.’

City of Beaufort is waiting for an update

Beaufort City Manager Scott Marshall said he did not know the city’s position on the Ribaut Road changes because the county has not yet shared them with the city.

As for the original proposal, there was “general dissatisfaction with the reduction from four lanes to three” through Beaufort, Marshall said.

Beaufort County says it will continue to work with city officials and Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. to create a master plan for improvements along the corridor.

Fralix acknowledged that residents were upset about the project. But, he adds, “I feel like it’s the most open process we’ve used, and we’re getting busted for it.” He noted that the county held an open house on the project before the designs began receiving public feedback, then came up with the design and held additional public meetings. According to him, the new iteration is a response to the data from these meetings.

The plan isn’t completely defined yet, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the process, Fralix said. It simply means that “this planning takes some time”, regardless of how it ends up being funded. The county said when the project was originally proposed that the work would require multiple funding sources.

“We were going to do it whether there was a sales tax or not,” Fralix said.