The proposed Interstate 73 is closer to becoming a reality with $3 million allocated for it in the held-over federal budget approved by the U.S. House and Senate Thursday night.

"It adds some credibility to the project," said U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-Hanahan. "Before, it was just a line on a map."

The project was first proposed in 1991 but has never been funded.

It would give Horry County an interstate highway connection by hooking into Interstate 95 south of Dillon and intersecting with the rest of I-73 in North Carolina.

"It's a really major step to have it earmarked in this year's appropriation," said Bob Probst, deputy director at the state Department of Transpor-
tation. "It's a huge step forward."

The DOT will use the money to start feasibility studies, including environmental studies of the impacts on rivers and wetlands, Probst said.

Once the bill is signed into law, the money will be available almost immediately because it is for the current year.

The last DOT and state officials heard was that the project might get $273,000 this year for studies.

Brown asked for $10 million for the road, but the Senate cut it out of the proposal.

The budget bill, which was supposed to have been passed by Sept. 30, came down to final work by a conference committee of members from the House and Senate.

Brown said he asked conference committee member Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., to put some money back in for I-73 and Rogers agreed.

Rogers came to Horry County last spring at Brown's invitation to view traffic problems and meet with local and state officials about I-73.

Although the $3 million is welcome, the amount of money isn't as important "as long as we have it as a recognizable project," Brown said. Now it will be easier to get more money in next year's budget and in the six-year highway funding bill due later this year.

"We're looking for appropriations of a billion dollars to make it happen," he said.

Horry County legislators were happy about the possible appropriation.

"I think it's pretty good news," said Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach.

"I think it jump-starts the project a little bit quicker. It does get us in the funding cycle," he said. "Once you start getting funding, you have a chance to keep getting it."

Tracy Edge | R-North Myrtle Beach.