Short answer: The full US 278 Corridor Improvements Project, which would have widened the road onto Hilton Head with a six-lane bridge, is on hold because of a funding gap from rising construction costs (SCDOT). SCDOT and Beaufort County are instead advancing a separate project to replace the eastbound bridges over Mackay and Skull Creeks with one new bridge. Its project site says it will open with two travel lanes and full shoulders, built wide enough to restripe to three later, and construction is anticipated to begin in early 2028, subject to Federal Highway Administration approval.
Key facts
- Full corridor project: "currently on hold because of a funding gap caused by rising construction costs" (SCDOT project site FAQ).
- What's moving forward: the US 278 Eastbound Bridge Replacement, one new bridge replacing the eastbound bridges over Mackay and Skull Creeks (SCDOT and Beaufort County).
- Lanes: two travel lanes with full shoulders, wide enough to restripe to three (project site, clarified October 23, 2025). The Town's page says "three-lane bridge."
- Schedule: construction anticipated in early 2028, subject to FHWA approval.
- Why: the eastbound Mackay Creek bridge was built in 1956 and is at the "end of its useful life" (SCDOT).
- Funding: the SC Transportation Infrastructure Bank approved $120 million on June 23, 2025. Beaufort County reported a $190 million gap after the November 2024 sales tax referendum failed.
- 2026 work: geotechnical drilling from a barge began the week of March 17, 2026, for bridge design (Town of Hilton Head Island).
- Evacuation: all of Beaufort County is one evacuation zone, and the state plans a lane reversal on US 278 off the island (SCEMD, 2026).
What happened to the six-lane bridge plan?
It ran out of money. The US 278 Corridor Improvements Project was planned as a full rebuild of the road from the mainland onto the island. In 2022 Beaufort County described it as a $290 million project with a single six-lane bridge designed for Category 5 hurricanes, replacing bridges rated for Category 3. The Federal Highway Administration signed a re-evaluation of the project's environmental assessment in September 2024.
Then costs rose. In November 2024 Beaufort County voters turned down a transportation sales tax that would have helped pay for it. At its July 14, 2025 meeting, Beaufort County Council reported a $190 million funding gap, amended its 2018 One Cent project list, and scaled the project down to a replacement bridge. SCDOT's project site now says the full corridor project is on hold and "still a priority" if funding is found.
Older articles, including local magazine pieces, describe a single six-lane span with construction starting in 2024 or 2025. That plan is on hold. Treat any listing or article that promises a six-lane bridge soon as out of date.
What is the new eastbound bridge?
One new bridge carrying traffic onto the island. SCDOT and Beaufort County propose to replace the two eastbound bridges, over Mackay Creek and Skull Creek, with a single new bridge. The westbound bridges, which carry traffic off the island, aren't part of this project.
The lane count depends on which official page you read:
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| SCDOT and Beaufort County project site (update October 23, 2025) | Two travel lanes with full shoulders, built wide enough to restripe to three lanes if corridor funding becomes available |
| Town of Hilton Head Island project page | "A new three-lane bridge with full shoulders" |
| Beaufort County Council, July 14, 2025 | "3-lane replacement bridge" |
The project site's October 2025 clarification is the most recent and most specific, so the fairest summary is a bridge built for three lanes that opens with two. The Town's page also lists a ramp and local road for Pinckney Island and the C.C. Haigh Jr. Boat Landing, and a "Hog Island Connector" to keep access to Hog Island and Mariner's Cove.
When will construction start, and how long will it take?
The official answer is early 2028, subject to FHWA approval. The Town's news release on the June 2025 infrastructure bank vote said final design would start in mid-2026. Geotechnical work, with a drilling barge under the bridges, began the week of March 17, 2026, and was expected to take about six weeks.
Some things you'll read aren't on any official page we could find. News reports in 2026 described a federal environmental finding for the bridge, a cost estimate of more than $300 million, growth in costs toward $500 million, and a construction period of about 30 months. We haven't found those on an SCDOT, FHWA, Beaufort County or Town page, so we don't treat them as settled. The project site is the place to watch.
How does the project affect Stoney and the north end?
The road runs through the historic Stoney community, at the island's gateway. SCDOT's FAQ says Stoney was recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property. Under the modified preferred alternative for the full corridor project, 3.47 acres would be acquired from the property, down from 4.87 acres under the 2021 plan. The State Historic Preservation Office agreed with a "No Adverse Effect" finding.
The Town is also preparing a William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Master Plan, focused in part on the corridor through Stoney, in response to the County putting all available corridor money into the eastbound bridge. If you're looking at property along the north end of US 278, ask how the bridge work, access roads and the Town plan could affect it. See historic Gullah neighborhoods.
What does it mean for buyers?
Plan around traffic and storms. Every trip off the island by car uses these bridges. SCDOT's traffic analysis for the corridor projected volumes above what a four-lane road carries (3,600 vehicles an hour) by 2026. Construction from 2028 on will add work zones on the only road in and out.
For hurricanes, all of Beaufort County is a single evacuation zone, Zone A, and SCEMD's 2026 plan includes a lane reversal on US 278 from the Cross Island Parkway to Moss Creek Drive so more lanes carry traffic off the island. The County has no hurricane shelters, and the Town says only the Governor can order a mandatory evacuation.
None of this is a reason not to buy, but it's worth timing. If you'll commute to the mainland, try the drive at rush hour before you choose a neighborhood. See deciding where to buy.
How we help
We'll tell you how far a home is from the bridges by road, send you the current project page and any Town notices that cover the area, and for homes near the north end, check whether the parcel is near the planned access roads.
Questions
Will the new bridge have a toll?
No official page we've found mentions a toll. The funding described by the County and the Town comes from the state infrastructure bank, the County's 2018 one-cent sales tax list and a federal grant application.
Are the westbound bridges being replaced?
Not in the current project. Only the eastbound bridges over Mackay and Skull Creeks are being replaced. Rebuilding the rest of the corridor is part of the full project, which is on hold for funding.
Does the November 2026 sales tax vote affect the bridge?
Beaufort County voters decide on a 1% transportation sales tax on November 3, 2026. The County's page announcing the vote doesn't list projects tied to it, so check the County's referendum materials for whether US 278 is included.
Sources
- US 278 Eastbound Bridge Replacement, SCDOT and Beaufort County (checked October 2026)
- US 278 Corridor Improvements FAQ, SCDOT (checked October 2026)
- US 278 Corridor Improvements Project, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)
- County Council highlights, July 14, 2025, Beaufort County (checked October 2026)
- Beaufort County applauds SIB vote, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)
- SC Hurricane Plan Annex C, evacuation zones and clearance times (2026), SC Emergency Management Division (checked October 2026)