Consultants unveil William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor master plan; council presses for prioritized safety projects and funding plan

Consultants for the Town of Hilton Head Island presented a conceptual William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor master plan at a workshop on April 28 that lays out a phased program of improvements from the bridge to the Cross Island Parkway, with an emphasis on safety, neighborhood protection and a gateway identity.

MKSK and engineering partners proposed incremental work packages that include baseline intersection improvements at Spanish Wells/Wild Horse and Squire Pope/Chamberlain, continuous pedestrian and bike pathways on both sides of US‑278, a signature pedestrian bridge at Squire Pope, and longer‑term options such as a flyover bridge that would remove the Spanish Wells at‑grade intersection. Consultants said the full master‑plan concept is a planning‑level estimate of roughly $122 million (2026 dollars) and recommended an early focus on baseline intersection fixes that would deliver the largest safety benefit relative to cost.

"Our objective is to fix transportation safety issues while recognizing the cultural and historic significance of the Stony neighborhood," MKSK principal Brian Kinselman said. The team emphasized minimizing right‑of‑way takings, using existing town‑owned parcels for park and trail improvements, and coordinating with the county and DOT on bridge and corridor work.

Traffic consultant Jonathan Guy described crash patterns showing two corridor hotspots — Squire Pope/Chamberlain and Spanish Wells/Wild Horse — and cited nine years of data (2016–2024) that include six fatalities and two pedestrian deaths in the project area. He said rear‑end, angle and failure‑to‑yield collisions are predominant and that the noon‑to‑6 p.m. window sees the highest crash concentration.

The public comment period produced a long set of remarks. Several residents pressed for longer acceleration/deceleration lanes at Squire Pope, urged quicker action to address structural deficiencies on the existing bridges, and asked that the plan not erase the Stony neighborhood character. Multiple commenters asked for more granular peak‑hour traffic modeling and for a clearer demonstration of travel‑time improvements versus cost.

During council discussion members voiced broad support for the plan’s principles but pressed staff for a clear prioritized list, a funding strategy and near‑term work the town could commit to without waiting on external grants. Several council members recommended that staff return within about 60–90 days with a prioritized package (multiple members specifically named Spanish Wells and Squire Pope improvements as the near‑term priorities), refined cost breakdowns, and specific funding options including local bonding, a potential TIFF district, and state/federal grants.

Next steps: town staff will work with the consultant team to refine project cost breakdowns and phasing, return to council with prioritized near‑term projects and a funding strategy, and continue coordination with county and DOT partners.