Frequently Asked Questions

While this new eastbound bridge would be constructed wide enough to ultimately accommodate three lanes of traffic, it would only be striped for two lanes initially to match the number of travel lanes on the roadways on either end. By building this new eastbound bridge wide enough to accommodate three lanes, future roadway widening and improvements would only require restriping. Should funding become available for roadway improvements at either end (assuming that includes a widening to three lanes of the roadway approaches), the bridge would be ready to accommodate that increased capacity without costly widening or substantial disruption to the community.

Most of the construction required for the new eastbound bridge could take place without considerable interruption to daily traffic. The bridge would be built in parallel to the existing bridge, so traffic would be maintained onto the island. Once the eastbound bridge nears completion, the only measurable traffic impacts would come as construction crews connect the mainline US 278 Eastbound travel lanes onto the new bridge.

The new eastbound bridge would be constructed parallel to the existing eastbound bridges. The existing eastbound bridges over Mackay Creek and Skull Creek would be removed once this new eastbound bridge is opened so there would be two travel lanes eastbound onto Hilton Head Island and two travel lanes westbound off Hilton Head Island, using the existing westbound bridges.

The existing westbound bridges would remain in place as they are currently. Constructed in 1982, these bridges are substantially newer and remain in good structural condition. They would continue to serve the traveling public until Beaufort County and SCDOT are able to secure additional funding for their replacement.

Because of the funding gap for the US 278 Corridor Improvements project, the US 278 Eastbound Bridge Replacement was advanced as a stand-alone project because of its critical role in maintaining connectivity to the island.

In February 2025, Beaufort County and the Town of Hilton Head Island were presented alternatives with estimated costs and by joint resolution in March 2025 determined the best path forward was to replace the US 278 Eastbound bridges without pedestrian facilities. An estimated additional cost of $50 million would be needed to include bike/pedestrian facilities onto the bridge.

The purpose of the US 278 Eastbound Bridge Replacement project is to eliminate structural deficiencies at the Mackay Creek Bridge and to provide new bridge approaches that meet current design standards. Because the replacement effort is limited to the eastbound structure, and no current bike or pedestrian network exists within a mile to connect to, incorporating these facilities on the new bridge is not considered feasible.

However, both bike and pedestrian accommodations continue to be an important part of the overall US 278 Corridor Improvements project. While the full corridor improvements are on hold because of a large funding gap caused by rising construction costs, SCDOT and Beaufort County continue to explore funding opportunities, including federal grants. Should that funding become available, the addition of bike and pedestrian access could be added to a new and improved westbound bridge along with the needed connectivity on the roadway approaches to the bridges. To stay up to date on the US 278 Corridor Improvements project, please visit the website at www.scdot278corridor.com.

The striping of a bike lane in the shoulder would be considered in the future for the corridor if viable plans were presented for connectivity to existing bike facilities. With the closest current bike/pedestrian facilities over a one mile away in each direction from the bridge it is currently not considered feasible to add the bike lanes on the bridge as it would be a safety concern without a safe way to get on or off the bridge.

For most neighborhoods, access would stay exactly the same. The US  278 Eastbound Bridge Replacement focuses on a much smaller area than the broader US 278 Corridor Improvements, with improvements limited to just past Moss Creek Drive in Bluffton to the intersection with C Heinrichs Circle by Windmill Harbour just onto Hilton Head Island. Mariners Cove is the only neighborhood that would experience a change in how residents enter or exit their community.

For Mariners Cove residents, the project would improve access by shifting neighborhood entry and exit to the existing traffic signal at the base of the bridge near Windmill Harbour, followed by the Hog Island Connector under US  278. While not as direct, this change would provide residents with a safer and more reliable way to reach US  278, especially during high‑traffic periods.

The full US 278 Corridor Improvements project is still a priority, the environmental document is still valid, and SCDOT and Beaufort County are continuing to explore funding opportunities. The eastbound bridge replacement is moving forward now as a separate project—and it is being designed to fit seamlessly into future corridor upgrades should funding become available. While the eastbound bridge replacement is moving forward as a separate project, it does not replace the plans to improve the whole corridor.