Robert Grissom Parkway
Encyclopedia
Robert M. Grissom Parkway, locally known as Grissom Parkway, is a major four-lane connector highway
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
. The road begins at Harrelson Boulevard
near Myrtle Beach International Airport
and terminates in Carolina Forest, South Carolina
at SC Highway 31 and International Drive. It provides access to Myrtle Beach attractions such as Coastal Grand Mall
, BB&T Coastal Field and Broadway at the Beach
and is used as an alternative road to U.S. 17
and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. It has bike
paths and sidewalks for pedestrian
traffic.
In 1996, sections of Central Parkway, a road planned by Burroughs & Chapin
, were already complete between 21st Avenue North and 38th Avenue North, and between 44th Avenue North and 48th Avenue North. Taken over as of 1996 by the city, the road could be extended to U.S. 501
in five or six years using property tax
es and admissions taxes at Broadway at the Beach
attractions, plus a possible hospitality tax on hotel rooms, meals and admissions. Eventually, Central Parkway would be extended south to a planned airport
road (later named Harrelson Boulevard
) and north to 62nd Avenue North.
In 1998, a $2.66 million section of Central Parkway, four lanes with a median between 10th Avenue North and 21st Avenue North, was under construction as a RIDE
project. In five years, the road was expected to run from Harrelson Boulevard across U.S. 501 and U.S. 17 Bypass to 62nd Avenue North, which would connect to Carolina Bays Parkway. By February 1999, plans called for Central Parkway to connect directly to Carolina Bays Parkway rather than to an extended 62nd Avenue North.
Robert "Bob" Grissom served as Myrtle Beach mayor 12 years, longer than any other mayor, and on the city council for 13 years. He led the effort to return minor league baseball
to the city, but Coastal Federal Field (now BB&T Coastal Field) was not named for him. With the section of Central Parkway leading to the stadium opening in April 1999, the city made the decision to honor the late mayor by naming it Robert M. Grissom Parkway. The name change took effect immediately between 10th Avenue North and 29th Avenue North, with other sections to renamed in stages.
Additional work on Grissom Parkway began in March 2001, with three sections of the $30 million RIDE project to be finished over the next year. Included in the project was the widening of an existing section of Old Socastee
Highway. The concrete
plant owned by Grissom fell victim to the road named for him.
On April 5, 2002, the section between Harrelson Boulevard and U.S. 501 opened. On May 6, the section between U.S. 501 and Mr. Joe White Avenue
(formerly 10th Avenue North) opened. This was followed on July 1 by the section between 38th and 48th Avenues North. North of 48th Avenue, work had begun on the connection to Carolina Bays Parkway. With the opening of Carolina Bays Parkway on December 17, 2002, Grissom Parkway was complete all the way from that new road to the airport, with "tree-lined medians, trees planted on the shoulders of the road, bike paths and pedestrian sidewalks."
In July 2003, a $2.6 million upgrade to the Carolina Bays Parkway interchange began, providing additional access to Carolina Forest. An unpaved road called International Drive connected to S.C. 90
, but provided no access to other main roads. A year later, the road still had not been paved, and there were no plans to do so. Grissom Parkway had become very popular with tourists, people living in the area, and businesses looking for a good location. However, the city did not intend the road to provide easy access to business, and policies assured this would continue to be the case.
Since 2006, the intersection with 21st Avenue N. has been the start line for the annual Bi-Lo
Marathon, and since 2011 the section from US 17 Bypass to BB&T Coastal Field (with the exception of two short turnaround points) has been used for the final five miles.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
. The road begins at Harrelson Boulevard
Harrelson Boulevard
Harrelson Boulevard is a four lane highway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It starts at George Bishop Parkway, crosses the Intracoastal Waterway and U.S. 17 and goes to Myrtle Beach International Airport and runs near Coastal Grand Mall. The highway is also the southern terminus for Grissom Parkway...
near Myrtle Beach International Airport
Myrtle Beach International Airport
Myrtle Beach International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Myrtle Beach, in Horry County, South Carolina, United States...
and terminates in Carolina Forest, South Carolina
Carolina Forest, South Carolina
Carolina Forest is an unincorporated community in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It lies between Myrtle Beach and Conway in an area planned by International Paper in the late 1990s. Regarded as the "bedroom community" of Myrtle Beach, the planned unit development will have 20,000...
at SC Highway 31 and International Drive. It provides access to Myrtle Beach attractions such as Coastal Grand Mall
Coastal Grand Mall
Coastal Grand Mall is a super-regional shopping mall in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States. The mall is the second largest in the state, with of retail space. The mall is one level, but the majority of the anchor stores have two.-Description:...
, BB&T Coastal Field and Broadway at the Beach
Broadway at the Beach
Broadway at the Beach is a shopping center located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since its inception in 1996, it has grown to be one of Myrtle Beach's premier shopping destinations. Broadway at the Beach is owned and operated by Burroughs & Chapin Company, Inc...
and is used as an alternative road to U.S. 17
U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina
In the U.S. state of South Carolina, U.S. Route 17 is a north–south highway located near the Atlantic Ocean. The route enters the state from Georgia at the Savannah River and serves Charleston and Myrtle Beach before entering North Carolina near Calabash.-Route description:US 17 enters into...
and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. It has bike
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
paths and sidewalks for pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
traffic.
Route description
When the road was completed, it replaced Old Socastee Highway (former routing of South Carolina Highway 707) between Pine Island Road and U.S. 501 as well as Central Parkway at Broadway at the Beach between 21st Avenue North and 29th Avenue North.History
Robert Grissom Parkway is based on a road planned as early as 1979.In 1996, sections of Central Parkway, a road planned by Burroughs & Chapin
Burroughs & Chapin
Burroughs & Chapin Company, Inc. is a real estate development company established in 1895 and is based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Its main office is located at 2411 North Oak Street near the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Burroughs & Chapin owns or has had a hand in developing some of the...
, were already complete between 21st Avenue North and 38th Avenue North, and between 44th Avenue North and 48th Avenue North. Taken over as of 1996 by the city, the road could be extended to U.S. 501
U.S. Route 501
-North Carolina business loops:-Virginia business loop:-External links:*...
in five or six years using property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es and admissions taxes at Broadway at the Beach
Broadway at the Beach
Broadway at the Beach is a shopping center located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since its inception in 1996, it has grown to be one of Myrtle Beach's premier shopping destinations. Broadway at the Beach is owned and operated by Burroughs & Chapin Company, Inc...
attractions, plus a possible hospitality tax on hotel rooms, meals and admissions. Eventually, Central Parkway would be extended south to a planned airport
Myrtle Beach International Airport
Myrtle Beach International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Myrtle Beach, in Horry County, South Carolina, United States...
road (later named Harrelson Boulevard
Harrelson Boulevard
Harrelson Boulevard is a four lane highway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It starts at George Bishop Parkway, crosses the Intracoastal Waterway and U.S. 17 and goes to Myrtle Beach International Airport and runs near Coastal Grand Mall. The highway is also the southern terminus for Grissom Parkway...
) and north to 62nd Avenue North.
In 1998, a $2.66 million section of Central Parkway, four lanes with a median between 10th Avenue North and 21st Avenue North, was under construction as a RIDE
Road Improvement and Development Effort
Road Improvement and Development Effort or RIDE is a plan for road projects in Horry County, South Carolina, including Carolina Bays Parkway, Veterans Highway and Robert Grissom Parkway. The first phase, costing $1.1 billion, is being paid for by hospitality taxes...
project. In five years, the road was expected to run from Harrelson Boulevard across U.S. 501 and U.S. 17 Bypass to 62nd Avenue North, which would connect to Carolina Bays Parkway. By February 1999, plans called for Central Parkway to connect directly to Carolina Bays Parkway rather than to an extended 62nd Avenue North.
Robert "Bob" Grissom served as Myrtle Beach mayor 12 years, longer than any other mayor, and on the city council for 13 years. He led the effort to return minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
to the city, but Coastal Federal Field (now BB&T Coastal Field) was not named for him. With the section of Central Parkway leading to the stadium opening in April 1999, the city made the decision to honor the late mayor by naming it Robert M. Grissom Parkway. The name change took effect immediately between 10th Avenue North and 29th Avenue North, with other sections to renamed in stages.
Additional work on Grissom Parkway began in March 2001, with three sections of the $30 million RIDE project to be finished over the next year. Included in the project was the widening of an existing section of Old Socastee
Socastee, South Carolina
Socastee is a census-designated place in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 14,295 at the 2000 census.-History:...
Highway. The concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
plant owned by Grissom fell victim to the road named for him.
On April 5, 2002, the section between Harrelson Boulevard and U.S. 501 opened. On May 6, the section between U.S. 501 and Mr. Joe White Avenue
Mr. Joe White Avenue
Mr. Joe White Avenue is a boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina named for "Mr. Joe", a shoeshine man in Georgetown County, South Carolina and later Myrtle Beach. Along with U.S...
(formerly 10th Avenue North) opened. This was followed on July 1 by the section between 38th and 48th Avenues North. North of 48th Avenue, work had begun on the connection to Carolina Bays Parkway. With the opening of Carolina Bays Parkway on December 17, 2002, Grissom Parkway was complete all the way from that new road to the airport, with "tree-lined medians, trees planted on the shoulders of the road, bike paths and pedestrian sidewalks."
In July 2003, a $2.6 million upgrade to the Carolina Bays Parkway interchange began, providing additional access to Carolina Forest. An unpaved road called International Drive connected to S.C. 90
South Carolina Highway 90
South Carolina Highway 90 is a two-lane highway from in Horry County going from Red Hill to Little River. It provides a direct connection from Conway to the North Strand in Little River....
, but provided no access to other main roads. A year later, the road still had not been paved, and there were no plans to do so. Grissom Parkway had become very popular with tourists, people living in the area, and businesses looking for a good location. However, the city did not intend the road to provide easy access to business, and policies assured this would continue to be the case.
Since 2006, the intersection with 21st Avenue N. has been the start line for the annual Bi-Lo
BI-LO (United States)
BI-LO is a supermarket chain headquartered in Mauldin, South Carolina. As of May 2010, BI-LO operates 207 supermarkets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The company employs approximately 17,000 people. Supermarket News ranked BI-LO No...
Marathon, and since 2011 the section from US 17 Bypass to BB&T Coastal Field (with the exception of two short turnaround points) has been used for the final five miles.