MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – The City of Myrtle Beach recently applied for a federal grant that would be used for technology to show the pros and cons of making different traffic-related adjustments.

“Increasing the safety of our roadways is a really big area that needs improvement and thus far we haven’t found that improvement,” said Brooke Morris, the city’s grants coordinator.

The request was for a U.S. Department of Transportation grant totaling $765,941 to install light detection and ranging (LiDar) technology.

If awarded, the LiDar technology would be installed at four intersections: Pine Island Road and Highway 17 Bypass, Oak Forest Lane and Pine Island Road, Highway 501 and Seaboard Street, and Seaboard Street and Oak Forest Lane.

Officials said more than 300 combined accidents have occurred at those four intersections within the past five years.

Myrtle Beach resident Aaron Dupree said the current situation at Pine Island Road and Highway 17 Bypass, in particular, is a problem.

“It’s very dangerous,” said Dupree. “Especially tourists. They don’t know it and accidents happen all the time.”

The LiDar technology would allow the city to create a 3D replica of the area where they can run simulations.

They can test what would happen if they changed the length of a traffic light or moved a bus stop location.

“It would track the number of vehicles at different times of day or the pedestrians that are walking across the street or at the bus stops and things like that,” said Howard Waldie IV, the city’s chief innovation officer. “And it’ll try and give us a better alternative to what we may have there.”

Waldie said being able to digitally test changes before making them provides the best outcome.

“If the grant is even something that we’re able to get, this is a great opportunity for us to test new technology specifically with traffic and see – could we offer an improvement for our residents and our visitors,” he said.

Dupree is one of the many who have lived in Myrtle Beach for many years and are ready to see new options.

“We need technology,” Dupree said. “We need change. We need everything that Myrtle Beach has to offer.”

The decision on the grant will be made by the first quarter of the new year.

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