Known locally in Myrtle Beach, SC, as the “back gate,” the US 17 Bypass at SC 707/Farrow Parkway interchange features dual 1,250-foot-long bridges. A key access to Market Commons, a mixed-use development, the new interchange aims to improve traffic flow along the busy corridor.
STV provided complete turnkey services, including project management, environmental documentation, permitting, traffic analysis, roadway and bridge design, utility coordination, hydraulic analysis, and geotechnical investigations.
The site’s geotechnical conditions presented key challenges for the project team. Located near the South Carolina coast and along one of the East Coast’s most active earthquake zones, poor-bearing soils and seismic issues required geotechnical modifications to support the structure, roadway, walls and drainage features. STV developed three innovative solutions alongside the South Carolina Department of Transportation, including prefabricated vertical drains, mechanically stabilized earth walls, and deep soil cement mixing to strengthen the soil.
Following the roadway opening to traffic, the project was honored by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of South Carolina and ACEC’s national chapter with Engineering Excellence Awards.
