Carolina Bays Parkway

Infobox road
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state=SC
type=
route=31
length_mi=22
established=2002
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=
junction=
ending_terminus=
previous_type=
previous_route=
next_type=
next_route=

Carolina Bays Parkway (South Carolina Highway 31, abbreviated S.C. Highway 31 or SC 31) is a six-lane Interstate Highway standards freeway that parallels (in most case) the Intracoastal Waterway from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The first phase opened on December 17, 2002, completing a 22-mile link between U.S. Route 501 and S.C. Highway 9. The second phase opened in March 2005, running from US 501 southwest to and S.C. Highway 544.

Phases and future plans

A third phase will be completed in the near future, taking it south to U.S. Route 17 Bypass in Surfside Beach, at Holmestown Road and S.C. Highway 707. The third phase has been changed several time in compliance with environmental issues concerning the surrounding area. This will be the future terminus of Interstate 74, as funding cannot allow for the possible extensions to Georgetown or Charleston that had once been planned in the 1990s.

A northern extension is also planned to connect with U.S. Route 17 in North Carolina. This extension would end at the North Carolina state border and closely parallel County Road 57. NCDOT would continue the Carolina Bays Parkway throughout the state as Interstate 74.

The Carolina Bays Parkway is planned to become part of Interstate 74, as well as Interstate 73 southwest of the Conway Bypass (S.C. Highway 22). The North Myrtle Beach Connector will run from the Parkway between S.C. Highway 22 and S.C. Highway 9 east to Main Street in North Myrtle Beach. Pre-construction has already begun for this road.

Exit list

Photo Gallery

External links

* [http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/shc/studies/cbp/ NCDOT - Carolina Bays Parkway Extension Feasibility Study]