RIDE

Until last week, it was looking as though the last two Road Improvement Development Projects might remain undone indefinitely. The State Infrastructure Bank, which is financing the projects with a two-thirds assist from Horry County hospitality fees, lacked the $25 million needed to complete the Main Street Connector in North Myrtle Beach and the $12 million needed to complete the Fantasy Harbour Bridge in Myrtle Beach. Then, the S.C. Department of Transportation rode to their rescue with financing for both projects.

This was no act of largesse. The DOT needs a quick $62 million to demolish the two Cooper River bridges that soon will be supplanted by the new Ravenel bridge between Charleston and Mount Pleasant. Our county would send $25 million in in-hand hospitality fee collections to that project. In return, the DOT pledged highway money to the Infrastructure Bank as collateral for bonds for the connector, the bridge in Horry County and other incomplete S.C. projects. Now, work on both projects can proceed once site work and demolitions are completed.

The deal is a bit bizarre, even by Horry County standards. But hey, whatever works. The connector and bridge will take great stress off U.S. 17 and U.S. 501 respectively, making traffic flow all along the Strand much smoother. The sooner they're online, the better.