If you are heading back to the coast or going down to check on property, South Carolina Emergency Officials have implemented a plan for motorists based on flood modeling and anticipated rainfall amounts in the Pee Dee. Officials are warning that bridges on major routes into the Horry County are expected to be overtopped by rain-swollen rivers sometime Monday night or Tuesday.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), the SC National Guard, the SC Emergency Management Division, the SC Department of Corrections, the SC Department of Natural Resources, the US Army Corps of Engineers and Horry County are working collectively to implement a plan to combat major flooding in Horry County.
After a thorough analysis of the situation, Team members have determined that US 378 will likely be the only available route to provide access into Horry County. Additionally, the US 501 Bypass is planned to serve as the only route crossing the Waccamaw River that leads into the Myrtle Beach area.
In order to maintain at least one highway access point into Horry County, Team SC plans to construct two temporary flood control devices in order to keep the flood waters off the highway low points. The plan is to construct two temporary flood barriers:
- US 378 – A one-mile barrier on the Lynches River in Florence County
- A 1.5 mile barrier on US 501 Bypass In Conway.
The Team is securing the construction materials to get this work completed prior to the arrival of floodwater that would overtop the bridges early next week.
SCDOT and our Team members continue to analyze actual rainfall data to address problems as needed including these locations:
- US 701 – At the convergence of the Little Pee Dee and Great Pee Dee Rivers.
- US 17 at the bridge in Downtown Georgetown.
- The analysis of a number of locations on I-95 continues.
SCDOT urges all motorists to drive with extreme caution during and after this storm. More overall storm news can be found at these links: https://www.scdot.org/ and https://www.scemd.org/.
