PAWLEYS ISLAND — Georgetown County residents on May 19 urged state transportation officials to rethink an $8 million road project aimed at improving traffic safety on U.S. Highway 17.
The S.C. Department of Transportation’s plan calls for corridor improvements along U.S. 17 between Crooked Oak Drive and Litchfield Drive, including raised concrete medians, sidewalks and two new traffic lights. The agency held a public information meeting at Waccamaw Intermediate so neighbors could learn more about the project and provide input. Residents may submit written comments about the project until May 29.
“We want people to know that they are a part of the process,” said Ginny Jones, director of public involvement for SCDOT. “Also, we want to emphasize that this is the preliminary plan. This is not the final plan.”
SCDOT maintains the project is needed. Agency spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said in an email that this section of the highway was identified in a U.S. 17 Corridor Study as having “numerous crashes along with excessive vehicular delay.”
The S.C. Department of Transportation will hold an open house public information meeting from 5-7 p.m. May 19, 2026, in Pawleys Island. The meeting will focus on proposed improvements (pictured) being planned along Highway 17 between Crooked Oak Drive and Litchfield Drive.
The first new light would be at Crooked Oak Drive, which would allow all movements for motorists, including U-turns. The second would be just south of Litchfield Drive to allow U-turn only movements.
SCDOT also wants to modify an existing traffic light at U.S. 17 at Litchfield Drive to allow drivers to turn left and right from U.S. 17 onto Litchfield Drive. SCDOT plans to install a dual right-turn lane on Litchfield Drive, allowing drivers to turn right from Litchfield Drive onto U.S. 17.
These changes would create right-turn-only lanes on Country Club Drive, Crooked Oak Drive, Litchfield Drive and Channel Bluff Avenue.
But many area residents have expressed concerns about the project.
Erik Mathre of Pawleys Island has lived in the area for more than five years, and he frequently uses the Tidelands Health Pawleys Family YMCA, which is near the proposed road work. He doesn’t see the need for the project and said SCDOT should simply reduce the speed limit in the area.
“They’re spending $8 million to inherit a whole new set of problems,” Mathre said. “It may solve some things, such as the lefthand turn-out issues, but I think the other issues that are impacting businesses, making it more difficult to get into them, are not a good problem.”
Chris Casey, who lives on Country Club Drive, attended the meeting to learn more about how the changes would affect golf cart access. She enjoys driving her golf cart in the area.
“They’re saying it will be OK,” Casey said, referring to SCDOT. “But I’m also worried about the businesses and how all of it is going to affect the businesses right here.”
Tom Stickler, president of the Hagley Estates Property Owners Association, also disagrees with the project. He contends it would be more helpful and cheaper to just add new traffic lights at Country Club Drive, Litchfield Drive and Crooked Oak Drive instead of creating additional right-only lanes.
He’s also skeptical about how the new project could improve safety.
“I want them to tell us how many T-bones they’ve had in that intersection,” Stickler said, referring to the Litchfield Drive and U.S. 17 South. “I doubt there’s been a lot of them.”
The project has also received pushback from the largest HOA along the Waccamaw Neck.
Kevin Corrigan, president of the Litchfield Beaches Property Owners Association, called the project “detrimental to our community.” His organization represents more than 850 homes in Litchfield Beach and North Litchfield. He said the plan would add new dangerous hurdles for Litchfield residents and visitors in case of evacuations, and it would increase traffic congestion due to the new U-turns.
“This is not for the greater good of everybody,” he said. “We’re anticipating that DOT, as well as the other key people that look into these things, will hopefully reassess and go back to the drawing board. That’s our hope.”
The public comment period started April 28. Comments may be submitted online at the project website or via email to McCutchanBJ@scdot.gov.
After the public comment period ends, right-of-way acquisition is planned for the fall. Construction is expected to start in the fall of 2027 and last about 18 months, according to SCDOT.
For more information, visit the project’s website: projectportal.scdot.org/US-17-Corridor-Improvements-Georgetown-County.
