Beaufort County chair highlights new Spanish Moss Trail link to downtown; outlines funding and planned 2026 referendum

Beaufort County Council Chair Alice Howard said the county helped finance the latest segment of the Spanish Moss Trail that now connects to downtown Beaufort and includes a child-focused park and a "Story Trail" in a county television report from the trail.

Howard said the project drew on multiple funding sources. "This was funded with money from the 2018 transportation tax referendum and also with $50,000 from Spanish Moss Trail and money from this Community Development Block Grant," she said, and stated the county's share was about $450,000 and the total project cost was $707,000.

The new segment is being celebrated as both a transportation link and a recreational amenity. "We're celebrating the opening up of it, to connect to downtown," Howard said. She described the park-on-a-trail design as a place "for the kids" where children can learn about the environment and identify birds. Howard also noted the library's involvement: "They have the Story Trail... my grandchildren love it because they can read a book and also get some exercise as they read the pages in the book."

Howard said the trail connection now reaches Downtown Beaufort, and a related project expected by late March should extend the connection all the way to Downtown Port Royal, linking the two urban centers and giving residents an easier option for walking and biking between them. She noted strong community turnout at the opening, including groups from Sun City, Hilton Head and local biking organizations.

On future county planning, Howard said Beaufort County is "planning on having a 2026 referendum for the transportation referendum," and announced an informational meeting on Feb. 18 at 01:00 in Council Chambers (the time was stated in the broadcast as "01:00").

For more information and continuing coverage, the report directed viewers to Beaufort County Television.