Southern Evacuation Lifeline
Encyclopedia
The Southern Evacuation Lifeline (SELL) is a proposed 28-mile limited-access highway
in Horry County
, South Carolina
USA. The project is currently underfunded, expecting to cost around $600 million, and issues with the route itself still remain, as it would travel directly next to several wildlife preserves.
The road was proposed to bypass the congested South Carolina Highway 707 and U.S. Route 501 in the event of a hurricane. It would allow a more direct route west from the southern Strand
, while simultaneously completing a beltway around the Myrtle Beach area, connecting with South Carolina Highway 22.
by crossing the Waccamaw River
.
On February 1, 2005, Horry County added the 701
Connector to RIDE 2
, its long-term construction plan, with the intention of providing a hurricane evacuation route. Edsel "Coupe" DeVille, chairman of the Committee Advocating Road Safety that studied possible routes, said the new road would allow Surfside Beach
and Murrells Inlet
to leave in half the time. The road would run from Carolina Bays Parkway to U.S. 378
, with three of the four possible routes going through the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge
. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
did not oppose the project, but The Coastal Conservation League had opposed the road for a decade because of fears the road would damage the environment and hurt wildlife
habitat
for such animals as bear
s, bird
s and salamander
s.
On July 29, 2005, Congress
passed a $286.4 billion highway bill
, with $4 million for the 701 Connector. On January 19, 2006, the SCDOT
allocated $1 million of state money to add to the $4 million in federal funds, and the SELL Task Force began as a result.
The road's name changed from the 701 Connector to the Southern Evacuation Lifeline, and a SELL logo was created. Hurricane Katrina
gave the new task force a new incentive to act. The study area ran from the Little Pee Dee River
to U.S. 501 and from U.S. 17 to beyond U.S. 378. As part of the environmental impact study
, four public meetings were held starting in May 2006. Southern Environmental Law Center attorney David Farren opposed building the road across what he called "the area designated for conservation."
On February 5, 2007, S.C. DOT
released possible routes. It was feared that some routes would cross the wildlife refuge and result in opposition and possible lawsuits from conservation groups.
S.C. DOT project manager Mike Barbee announced in October 2007 that the preliminary environmental impact study was to be released in February 2008. Eight routes were being considered, and after public hearings, construction was expected to begin in 2009.
On March 8, 2010, SELL committee members said making the highway a toll road
would mean completion in five years. SELL would be the third toll road in the state, after the Southern Connector
and Cross Island Parkway in Hilton Head Island. The road would allow residents of western Horry County as well as Georgetown County to leave more quickly in the event of an evacuation, but it would also provide faster access to hospital
s. Civil Engineering Consulting Services Inc. would conduct environmental impact studies, find funding and determine where an unmanned toll booth
or booths will go. Barbee pointed out that so few people use The Southern Connector that the consortium
that paid for the road was in default
on bond
payments, but the road would likely be more successful in a tourist area. Later in March, the county approved the plan to select a company to build the road.
Nancy Cave of the Coastal Conservation League said a change in the route for Carolina Bays Parkway meant a greater desire for a bridge over the Waccamaw River, which the Coast Guard
would have to approve. Cave said the changes would require a supplemental environmental impact statement.
On November 16, 2010, the Horry County Council agreed to ask the State Infrastructure Bank for $4 million that would have otherwise been used for Carolina Bays Parkway. The county's decision assumed cost savings on the parkway project.
would use a camera to photograph
license plates in order to collect the tolls
, estimated at $3.50 per vehicle. A vehicle could also have a device that would allow pre-payment, with deductions each time the booth is passed by that vehicle. No tolls would be collected during emergencies such as hurricanes, or from emergency vehicle
s.
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
in Horry County
Horry County, South Carolina
Horry County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. This name honored Revolutionary War Hero, Peter Horry. Brigadier General Horry was born in South Carolina sometime around 1743 and started his distinguished military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains the Provincial Congress...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
USA. The project is currently underfunded, expecting to cost around $600 million, and issues with the route itself still remain, as it would travel directly next to several wildlife preserves.
The road was proposed to bypass the congested South Carolina Highway 707 and U.S. Route 501 in the event of a hurricane. It would allow a more direct route west from the southern Strand
Grand Strand
The Grand Strand refers to a large stretch of beaches on the East Coast of the United States extending from Little River to Georgetown in the U.S. State of South Carolina. It consists of 60+ miles along an essentially uninterrupted arc of beach land, beginning around the Little River and...
, while simultaneously completing a beltway around the Myrtle Beach area, connecting with South Carolina Highway 22.
History
In 2003, a feasibility study showed several possible routes for a road to relieve congestion on major highways in Horry and Georgetown Counties, which would connect U.S. 501 and U.S. 17U.S. Route 17
U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 is a north–south United States highway. The highway spans the southeastern United States and is close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length. The highway's southern terminus is at Punta Gorda, Florida, at an intersection with U.S. Route 41...
by crossing the Waccamaw River
Waccamaw River
The Waccamaw River is a river, approximately 140 miles long, in southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina in the United States. It drains an area of approximately 1110 square miles in the coastal plain along the eastern border between the two states into the Atlantic Ocean...
.
On February 1, 2005, Horry County added the 701
U.S. Route 701
U.S. Route 701 is a spur of U.S. Route 1, although the two routes never intersect. However, using U.S. Route 301 or U.S. Route 501 would connect to U.S. Route 1. It runs 172 miles from Four Oaks, North Carolina at U.S. Route 301 to Georgetown, South Carolina at U.S. Route 17. It passes through...
Connector to RIDE 2
Road Improvement and Development Effort
Road Improvement and Development Effort or RIDE is a plan for road projects in Horry County, South Carolina, including Carolina Bays Parkway, Veterans Highway and Robert Grissom Parkway. The first phase, costing $1.1 billion, is being paid for by hospitality taxes...
, its long-term construction plan, with the intention of providing a hurricane evacuation route. Edsel "Coupe" DeVille, chairman of the Committee Advocating Road Safety that studied possible routes, said the new road would allow Surfside Beach
Surfside Beach, South Carolina
Surfside Beach is a small seaside town in Horry County, South Carolina, United States situated directly south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Its nickname is "The Family Beach". The population was 4,425 at the 2000 census...
and Murrells Inlet
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Murrells Inlet is a small fishing village in Horry County, South Carolina, United States that is considered to be the "Seafood Capital of South Carolina". The population was 5,519 at the 2000 census. It was once primarily a fishing village, but has grown substantially in modern time, along with the...
to leave in half the time. The road would run from Carolina Bays Parkway to U.S. 378
U.S. Route 378
U.S. Route 378 is a spur of U.S. Route 78. It currently runs for 234 miles from Conway, South Carolina at U.S. Route 501 to Washington, Georgia at U.S. Route 78.-Route description:...
, with three of the four possible routes going through the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge
Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge
thumb|right|Waccamaw National Wildlife RefugeWaccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1997, is a recent addition to the United States National Wildlife Refuge system...
. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
did not oppose the project, but The Coastal Conservation League had opposed the road for a decade because of fears the road would damage the environment and hurt wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
for such animals as bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s and salamander
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
s.
On July 29, 2005, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed a $286.4 billion highway bill
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users is a funding and authorization bill that governs United States federal surface transportation spending. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 10, 2005, and expired as of September 30, 2009...
, with $4 million for the 701 Connector. On January 19, 2006, the SCDOT
South Carolina Department of Transportation
The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a government agency in the US state of South Carolina. Its mission is to build and maintain roads and bridges and administer mass transit services....
allocated $1 million of state money to add to the $4 million in federal funds, and the SELL Task Force began as a result.
The road's name changed from the 701 Connector to the Southern Evacuation Lifeline, and a SELL logo was created. Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
gave the new task force a new incentive to act. The study area ran from the Little Pee Dee River
Little Pee Dee River
The Little Pee Dee River is a tributary of the Pee Dee River . The Little Pee Dee technically arises near Laurinburg, North Carolina as Gum Swamp, which flows southward, receiving several small tributaries, across the South Carolina border into Red Bluff Lake, near McColl, South Carolina...
to U.S. 501 and from U.S. 17 to beyond U.S. 378. As part of the environmental impact study
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
, four public meetings were held starting in May 2006. Southern Environmental Law Center attorney David Farren opposed building the road across what he called "the area designated for conservation."
On February 5, 2007, S.C. DOT
South Carolina Department of Transportation
The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a government agency in the US state of South Carolina. Its mission is to build and maintain roads and bridges and administer mass transit services....
released possible routes. It was feared that some routes would cross the wildlife refuge and result in opposition and possible lawsuits from conservation groups.
S.C. DOT project manager Mike Barbee announced in October 2007 that the preliminary environmental impact study was to be released in February 2008. Eight routes were being considered, and after public hearings, construction was expected to begin in 2009.
On March 8, 2010, SELL committee members said making the highway a toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
would mean completion in five years. SELL would be the third toll road in the state, after the Southern Connector
Interstate 185 (South Carolina)
Interstate 185 is located in the city of Greenville, South Carolina. The northern portion, which ends just shy of the Greenville city limits, was opened in the 1960s and is cosigned with U.S. 29. The southern portion, which connects the I-85/I-185 interchange with the I-385/U.S. 276 interchange ,...
and Cross Island Parkway in Hilton Head Island. The road would allow residents of western Horry County as well as Georgetown County to leave more quickly in the event of an evacuation, but it would also provide faster access to hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s. Civil Engineering Consulting Services Inc. would conduct environmental impact studies, find funding and determine where an unmanned toll booth
Toll house
A tollhouse or toll house is a building with accommodation for a toll collector, beside a tollgate on a toll road or canal. Many tollhouses were built by turnpike trusts in England, Wales and Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries...
or booths will go. Barbee pointed out that so few people use The Southern Connector that the consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
that paid for the road was in default
Default (finance)
In finance, default occurs when a debtor has not met his or her legal obligations according to the debt contract, e.g. has not made a scheduled payment, or has violated a loan covenant of the debt contract. A default is the failure to pay back a loan. Default may occur if the debtor is either...
on bond
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
payments, but the road would likely be more successful in a tourist area. Later in March, the county approved the plan to select a company to build the road.
Nancy Cave of the Coastal Conservation League said a change in the route for Carolina Bays Parkway meant a greater desire for a bridge over the Waccamaw River, which the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
would have to approve. Cave said the changes would require a supplemental environmental impact statement.
On November 16, 2010, the Horry County Council agreed to ask the State Infrastructure Bank for $4 million that would have otherwise been used for Carolina Bays Parkway. The county's decision assumed cost savings on the parkway project.
Specifics of the toll plan
The toll boothToll house
A tollhouse or toll house is a building with accommodation for a toll collector, beside a tollgate on a toll road or canal. Many tollhouses were built by turnpike trusts in England, Wales and Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries...
would use a camera to photograph
Automatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles. They can use existing closed-circuit television or road-rule enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task...
license plates in order to collect the tolls
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
, estimated at $3.50 per vehicle. A vehicle could also have a device that would allow pre-payment, with deductions each time the booth is passed by that vehicle. No tolls would be collected during emergencies such as hurricanes, or from emergency vehicle
Emergency vehicle
An emergency vehicle is any vehicle that is designated and authorized to respond to an emergency. These vehicles are usually operated by designated agencies, often part of the government, but also run by charities, non-governmental organizations and some commercial companies...
s.