LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — Leaders in Lancaster County are scrambling to come up with the millions needed to widen Highway 521 from four lanes to six.
They want to widen the seven-mile stretch from the North Carolina border to Waxhaw Highway.
Channel 9’s Tina Terry learned they are now facing a deadline of around three weeks to apply for a grant from the state. It would provide millions towards widening the highway.
Business owner Cole Hagerhorst said he is preparing to open up a new soda shop off Highway 521 in Indian Land.
He said he came to the area to be a part of the new development.
“It makes me really excited. That’s one of the reasons we wanted to come here. We knew the target was coming, and we heard Costco. So that makes us really excited,” said Hagerhorst.
He went on to say he supports the efforts to widen the roadway.
“I’ve seen it get bogged down at different parts of the day. So it would be nice to get more people down to us,” said Hagerhorst.
After a proposed transportation tax on November’s ballot failed, Lancaster County leaders are turning to grants.
They said the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank is offering up millions in grant dollars to rural areas in need.
“They’re committing $250 million, and the grand stipulations are you can’t apply for more than $50 million,” said County Administrator Dennis Marstall.
Marstall said they will be able to apply for around $40 million, but the total cost of the widening project is around $125 million.
County leaders will then have to decide whether to go back to voters to pay the rest.
“Councils will have the conversation on June 9 and ask if they want to go back to voters. And ask if they want to put a 1% sales tax on the ballot in November. But in the interim, trying to find these other sources,” Marstall explained.
Marstall said Lancaster County Council could also wait until November 2026 to put that tax question on the ballot.
Either way, he said the school district and county council have decided not to put two referendum questions on the ballot at the same time.
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