Interstate 73 gets federal grant

The effort to extend Interstate 73 to Myrtle Beach received a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation today.
The highway would provide a direct connection from a Michigan city near the Canadian border to Myrtle Beach and is expected to provide an economic boost to the area.
Myrtle Beach is the largest tourist destination in the U.S. without an interstate highway connection, and I-73 would not only allow tourists to travel to the area more easily but could improve economic development.
"This is great news for South Carolina as we're now $10 million closer to completing Interstate 73," said Rep. Alan Clemmons, the chairman of the National I-73/74 Corridor Association, in a statement.
The project was one of only 4 percent of the 1,400 applicants that were awarded the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery discretionary grants.
The grants were created to fund transporation projects that have had difficulty finding money through other programs, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a statement.
"This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy," he said in the statement.
The grant could help the project leverage more funds from other accounts or revenue sources, said Rep. Tracy Edge, the co-chairman of the S.C. I-73/74 Association.
"The commitment by the DOT reaffirms the importance of I-73 and provides a sound investment in a very important project," he said in a statement.

from the Sun News