We got a copy of the MarketWalk Traffic Study in Myrtle Beach. Here’s what we learned
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A room full of engaged Market Common residents demanded answers.
They groaned at the mention of more people accessing their pool and growing pedestrian safety hazards.
What was causing them so much stress? A proposed development in the last undeveloped parcel of land in the Market Common.
A traffic study was mentioned by the developers running the meeting in attempts to offer reprieve to the crowd.
Instead, the announcement was a shock to almost everyone in the room who demanded to see a copy.
After filing a Freedom of Information Act request with the City of Myrtle Beach, The Sun News exclusively obtained a copy of that traffic study for the proposed MarketWalk Development in Market Common.
In response to the queries about traffic, an engineer on the proposed project, Walter Warren, said at last Thursday’s meeting “that the project has been through a full and complete traffic impact analysis and has been reviewed by Council.”
Warren later said in the meeting the study was approved and reviewed by Myrtle Beach city staff members as well.
“This is a corporate rental development that only serves those who financially gain and is largely unwanted by the residents it will directly affect,” a petition created by Kayla Tencza said.
As of 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, that petition had 319 signatures.
Here are some of our biggest takeaways from from the 101 page report Warren referenced in his response.
When’s the new development expected to be done?
According to the study, if the project progresses forward, construction for the new residences and potential Starbucks are expected to be completed by 2028.
How much traffic does Farrow Parkway see now?
Based on the numbers provided by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the average daily traffic on Farrow Parkway in 2023 was 18,300 per day.
The average daily traffic for Phillis Boulevard, where the new development would go, was 3,300 vehicles per day in 2023, according to SCDOT.
The same data also showed that in 2023 on Myers Avenue, which intersects with Farrow Parkway, had a daily traffic volume of about 5,850 vehicles.
The report did not cite current average daily traffic statistics from 2024.
How much has Market Common grown?
“Historical growth patterns at this site were evaluated to determine a background growth rate for the project,” page 3 of the report said. “A growth rate of 2.2% per year was established and approved by the City Engineer.”
Traffic data in 2014 matched the same number in 2017 at 17,500 vehicles, Table 2 showed.
That number grew to 18,200 the next year in 2018, and then again slightly in 2019 to 18,500 before tapering off.
The study says that any traffic patterns after 2019 can’t be considered because of “ the drop in traffic volumes due to Covid 19.”
How did the state grade the neighborhood’s congestion?
Overall, the state gave a passing grade to the traffic in every intersection in the Market Common neighborhood, according to the study’s reported findings.
Even with the estimated additional 2,916 trips that are expected to be added if MarketWalk is built, 2028 traffic predictions in the study show no grades below a D.
According to the Transportation Research Board’s Highway Capacity Manual’s definitions, any grade at a D or better is considered “acceptable,” the study said.
How much more traffic will this development bring?
The study estimates that 2,916 total additional average daily trips would be added to this area if the new development was built.
The Starbucks would bring 1,493 average daily trips and the town homes would be responsible for 670, and the cottages come in at 691.
Underneath Table 3 where this data is explained, the study notes that there are no estimates for average daily trips that may happen within the new proposed community.
