After two public meetings on plans to landscape the Highway 17 median in Pawleys Island, it’s back to the drawing board for the S.C. Department of Transportation.

Of the three proposed plans, the feedback was evenly split between the first and second options, said Mark Hoeweler, assistant executive director of the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments.

The first two plans include deceleration and acceleration lanes, landscaped medians with a handful of cuts, and additional traffic lights.

Alternative one would put new lights in front of the Post Office and at Parkersville Road next to the Baymont Hotel.

Alternative two would put new lights in front of the Post Office and at Hinnant Lane next to Pastaria 811.

Alternative three includes landscaped medians with many cuts and a traffic light at Tiller Drive near Habaneros.

Hoeweler said fewer people liked alternative three, and a “handful” of people didn’t like any of them.

Pete Poore, director of communications for the SCDOT, said 81 comments were received, eight of which opposed the project.

“We are presently reviewing the comments and making adjustments where feasible, based on the feedback we received,” Poore wrote in an e-mail.

“Ultimately, we’ll present a revised alternative to [Georgetown] County Council later this month.”

Hoeweler said the new plan will be a “hybrid” of alternatives one and two.

The project, which will begin at Waverly Road and end at Baskervill Drive, is expected to cost approximately $2.5 million.

Plans for all three alternatives can be viewed at www.gsats.org.

By Chris Sokoloski

csokoloski@gtowntimes.com