Charleston · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Charleston public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Secessionville Road safety improvements
State funding of $765,000 would pay for safety upgrades on Secessionville Road in James Island. The item moved quickly through committee due to time constraints.
James Island Mini Roundabout Installation
Councilmember Skardon corrected the record that the mini roundabout construction won't fully close the intersection, and noted the county's Maybank widening tree removal is underway at night from River Road to the Stono River Bridge, to be done before mid-December.
SC Highway 41 and Reflectance Drive Safety Improvements
SCDOT will fix one of the city's most dangerous — and little-known — intersections at the north end of Cainhoy at no cost to the city, using federal grant money.
Broad Street sidewalk reconstruction
A $495,585 contract with Wildwood Contractors would rebuild bluestone sidewalks on Broad Street from King to East Bay — the first phase of a $4.1 million project funded by accommodations taxes.
Real-time flood road closures in navigation apps
Charleston now pushes flood-related road closures and warnings straight into Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps and TomTom. During October's floods, drivers got live warnings about water on roads like Calhoun — helping commuters reroute before hitting standing water.
Street flooding analysis tool and Lockwood Drive study
A new public app on the GIS website lets you look up why any closed road floods — rain, tide, or both — and forecast which roads are at risk in coming days. A Lockwood Drive study found the road has flooded 443 times since 2015, roughly 37 times a year, and that just 0.2 feet of sea level rise would dramatically worsen it.
Pedestrian Crosswalk Accessibility and Audible Signals
Committee member Morgan Huey highlighted Charleston Moves' progress on the Ashley River Crossing Project and other safety projects, with a fundraiser the following evening.
Pedestrian safety funding in the 2027 budget
Speaker after speaker — including a man whose wife was killed crossing Broad and King — asked council to put $1 million a year into pedestrian safety projects. The city already has a safety action plan with $20 million in identified projects and has applied for a federal Safe Streets for All grant.
River Road Realignment and Safety Measures
A developer property donation will allow the city and county to eventually realign the misaligned and hazardous intersection at River Road and Murraywood Road/Rushland Landing Drive, improving safety for neighborhood residents.
Brunswick Rifle Drive Road Connection
Review of road and sidewalk construction plans to connect a Stonoview subdivision roadway.
Charleston County C-Fund Sidewalk Submittals
The city submitted three sidewalk improvement projects to the Charleston County Transportation Committee for C-fund gas tax allocations. The proposed projects include 1,000-foot sidewalks on Parkdale Drive, Braxton Avenue, and Folly Road.
Hagood Avenue Streetscape and Drainage Improvements
Engineering plans are underway to raise Hagood Avenue, improve flood drainage, and add bike and pedestrian lanes tied to regional transportation plans.
Avondale Intersection Realignment and Property Acquisition
The city is spending over $3.4 million to buy land for a major road realignment project at the Avondale intersection to improve safety and ease traffic bottlenecks. While supporters note it will drastically improve traffic flow, some council members questioned why city taxpayers are funding a county road project.
Sam Rittenberg Boulevard Redesign
The city is moving forward with 30% design plans to redesign Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, adding multi-use paths and implementing a road diet to balance traffic capacity and ped-bike safety.
Downtown Streetscape Maintenance Agreements
The city is taking on maintenance responsibilities for historic and standard streetscape features like granite curbs, brick borders, and tree wells for several downtown development projects. These agreements ensure that public spaces around new developments are properly kept up by the city.
USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Application
Charleston is applying for $4 million in federal funds to upgrade pedestrian safety, crosswalks, and signal timing across the city, backed by a $1 million local match.
Chapter 19 Traffic Code Update for Micromobility
The city is updating traffic regulations to make streets safer by restricting e-bikes from sidewalks, lowering scooter speeds to 25 mph on busy corridors, and piloting shared-use path rules on Daniel Island.
Savannah Highway Pedestrian and Accessibility Improvements
Commissioners and residents highlighted the need for audible pedestrian signals (APS), improved lighting, and repainted crosswalks along Savannah Highway and Avondale.