Myrtle Beach, SC Traffic Cameras: 500+ Live Cams

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is one of the premier vacation destinations on the East Coast, serving as the heart of the 60-mile stretch of coastline known as the Grand Strand. While the city has a year-round residential population of approximately 35,000, it attracts over 20 million visitors annually, causing the local vehicle count to swell dramatically during peak seasons. This unique demographic shift creates intense pressure on the region's primary access points, most notably the US-501 corridor and the US-17 bypass. With significant holiday traffic potentially reaching 150,000 vehicles daily, live traffic cameras are essential tools for both residents navigating daily life and tourists unfamiliar with local signal patterns. Real-time feeds provide the situational awareness needed to avoid seasonal gridlock and ensure a safer journey along the coast.

The Dynamics of Myrtle Beach Traffic

Traffic in Myrtle Beach is defined by its role as a tourism powerhouse. The city's infrastructure must transition from serving a mid-sized residential community to managing the needs of millions of visitors. According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), the US-501 corridor between Myrtle Beach and Conway is one of the most consistently congested routes in the state, with peak volume typically occurring between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM on weekdays and throughout the day on weekends.

The impact of tourism on local safety is significant. Visitors unfamiliar with the area often struggle with the complex signal cycles on US-17 and US-501, leading to a high frequency of rear-end collisions. Research indicates that the intersection of US-17 and 82nd Parkway is one of the busiest and most accident-prone segments in Horry County. For residents, visual verification via live cameras is the most effective way to judge whether to use the "back roads" like SC-544 or stick to the primary highways during the high "snowbird" season from January to April.

Grand Strand Updates

Monitor primary routes serving the oceanfront resorts and the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

Tourist Flow Monitoring

Track the arrival and departure patterns during heavy holiday weekends.

Coastal Weather Feeds

See real-time road surface conditions and visibility during Atlantic storms and fog events.

Navigating the Grand Strand Commute

While the average commute for Myrtle Beach residents is approximately 16.5 to 22.9 minutes, this efficiency is highly seasonal. During the summer months, the influx of nearly 20 million annual visitors can make even short local trips unpredictable. High-volume intersections like Carolina Forest Boulevard and Highway 501 are also identified as major bottlenecks where aggressive driving and congestion are common.

TrafficVision empowers you to master this commute with our interactive map and cluster markers. You can zoom into specific interchanges like the US-17 Bypass and SC-10 to see exactly how traffic is moving. For those traveling across the state, our Route Builder allows you to plan your drive toward Columbia or Charleston and see every camera along the way, ensuring you can avoid the most congested segments of the US-501 corridor before you leave the beach.

Safety and Economic Impact

Safety and infrastructure are central to the conversation about the Grand Strand's growth. Tourism is the primary economic driver for the region, supporting over 82,000 jobs and contributing $13.2 billion in annual spending. To protect this vital industry, SCDOT maintains an extensive 511 Traveler Information System, which is fully integrated into the TrafficVision platform. These real-time monitoring tools are essential for managing incident response and reducing the duration of delays on high-velocity corridors like US-17.

According to research from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), real-time traffic monitoring systems can reduce secondary crash rates by up to 30% by providing drivers with the information needed to avoid congested or hazardous areas. By using South Carolina traffic cameras to stay informed, Myrtle Beach drivers contribute to a more predictable and safer transit environment for both locals and visitors alike.

How TrafficVision Helps Myrtle Beach Drivers

TrafficVision aggregates feeds from over 600 official sources, including the SCDOT 511 network, to provide a unified viewing experience.

• Interactive Map: Visualize traffic across Myrtle Beach and the entire Grand Strand region. See how US-17, US-501, and SC-31 connect.
• Grid View: Quickly scan multiple cameras at once. Filter for "Kings Hwy" or "501" to see exactly where the bottlenecks are.
• Favorites: Bookmark the cameras you check every morning, like the US-17 Bypass at 82nd Pkwy interchange, for instant access on any device.
• 24/7 Free Access: No accounts, no paywalls, and no apps required. Access live road conditions from any web browser on desktop or mobile.