Project Summary: US 278

Thank you for your interest in Chad Brown Law. If you are viewing this content, then it is likely that you are facing the possibility that some, if not all, of your property will be taken from you by a condemning authority. A “condemning” authority (or “condemnor”) is any entity that has the right to take your property for a public purpose. (Such as widening or extending a road)

The Eminent Domain Attorneys at Chad Brown Law are here for you, and, as a token of that support, we have prepared the following information to hopefully help you better understand what the project is all about and why the condemnor has targeted your property.

A. Project Number: US 278 Corridor Improvements

If you would like more information about this project, then please visit the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s website and type the name of the project into the search bar.

B.  Who will be condemning/taking the properties? Beaufort County, SC in connection with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT). They will both be referred throughout this document as the Condemnors.

C.  What are they taking? The Condemnors will be taking road-front properties on Highway 278 between Bluffton and Hilton Head Island from Moss Creek Drive to Spanish Wells Road.

D.  When will they be taking it? The initial acquisitions for these takings were slated to begin in early 2022. However, it is not uncommon for these acquisitions to take additional time.

E.  Why are they taking the property? The general goal with this taking is to make improvements to the US 278 corridor by addressing structural deficiencies at the existing eastbound Mackay Creek bridge and reduce congestion along US 278 from Moss Creek Drive to Spanish Wells Road. The eastbound Mackay bridge will be replaced; it was originally built in 1956 and is scheduled for replacement.

F.   How can they take it? The condemnors can take your property through the exercise of eminent domain. However, the county is supposed to compensate you for the property that they take from you. The typical measure for compensation is normally the “fair market value” of the property being taken. This can be measured in various ways according to law and should be discussed with your attorney.