Horry County voters approve the RIDE 4 initiative on the 2024 ballot

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) – According to the South Carolina Election Commission, the majority of Horry County voters voted “yes, for” on their ballots Tuesday for the RIDE 4 initiative.

The results showed that 95,175 voted for RIDE 4 while 71,490 were against it.

RIDE 4 is a long-term program aimed at meeting road infrastructure needs throughout the county.

The question placed on the ballot Tuesday gave voters the opportunity to choose between “yes” or “no” to the 25-year, 1% sales tax.

The tax will provide about $6 billion in tax revenue from a 1% sales tax to fund dozens of road projects over the next 25 years.

The ballot measure includes the first 28 projects funded by a 1% sales tax, known as the transportation tax.

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Horry County residents have paid a penny sales tax since 2007, when it began with the start of RIDE II. It is currently integrated into RIDE III.

A yes vote on the measure will extend the tax to continue to fund new road improvements in RIDE IV for the next 25 years.

In the first five years, the county would tackle major projects, such as widening Highway 90 to four lanes from East Cox Ferry Road to U.S. Highway 17. East Cox Ferry Road and River Oaks Drive in the Carolina Forest area would also be widened .

A new river crossing would be constructed, including a new bridge over the Waccamaw River to Conway.

There would be an extension of Highway 22 from US Highway 501 near Aynor to the Surfside Beach and Murrells Inlet area.

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The measure would also give Coast RTA new facilities, including a new bus maintenance complex with new passenger stations in Conway and Myrtle Beach.

After five years, additional projects over the next 20 years include resurfacing several hundred miles of public roads, paving several hundred miles of unpaved roads, and widening Highway 701 from Highway 22 to Highway 410.

Horry County has also set aside money for an interchange with I-73 if SCDOT ever secures construction contracts to build the freeway connecting I-95 to Highway 501.

Ride IV would take effect in May 2025 after the completion of RIDE III.