in Myrtle Beach was largely supportive of increasing the hospitality tax because area traffic was a large problem. The tax took effect in January 1997 and would end in twenty years. The planning of the highway was not without controversy. Two lobbying groups, Taxpayers for Common Sense and Friends of the Earth, both argued against the need for the road from economic and environmental perspectives. Most of the traffic that the road was meant to alleviate would not be centered in the area; most of the Myrtle Beach traffic problems would be too far away and on the opposite side of the Intracoastal Waterway. Split off as part of a separate project, the road's plan called for a spur route to be built across the Waccamaw River to connect to US 701 from Socastee. If built, it would destroy approximately of wetlands on the river near Sandy Island. Near the road's southern terminus in Surfside Beach, the road's plan would also split and partially destroy the Holmestown community. Two options were presented to either continue the road as Holmestown Road or to build a road that intersects it and continues to US 17. David Farren, an environmental lawyer, argued that the Carolina Bays Parkway was a "developer's road" in the sense that it encouraged more "fringe" growth rather than allay current traffic problems. Although the plan for funding for building the highway was approved by Horry County, the state would have to contribute funding in order to commence construction. On June 17, 1997, both the House of Representatives and Senate of South Carolina approved for funding and for a new program, the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank, to help pay for the state's portion of the Carolina Bays Parkway and Conway Bypass. The plan did not increase existing taxes from the state. Governor Beasley signed the bill on June 26 "that ended years of bitter disputes." In January 1998, the Joint Bond Review Committee approved the funding necessary for the Carolina Bays Parkway and other projects in Horry County. Wetlands mitigation began in March 1998 with the scaled-back version of the road affecting than originally planned; of wetlands would finally be affected. A report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the path would not disrupt endangered plants. The final route of the highway was approved on June 25, 1998, with approvals by South Carolina and the federal