Crews to begin work on James Island drainage project Monday

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) — A much-anticipated project that officials say will help alleviate flooding on part of James Island is set to get underway this week.

A temporary road closure along Central Park Road between Riverland Drive and Fleming Road will go into effect on June 9 as crews begin work on the $2.7 million drainage improvements project.

Officials said detours — expected to remain in place through November — will be set up to help guide drivers through the area. The Fleming Road intersection will not be impacted, and property access will not be restricted within the closed area.

The project, which is slated for completion next spring, includes raising the Central Park Road corridor two feet and installing three upsized drainage pipes. The new 48-inch wide pipes will be equipped with two tide gates and a tidal check valve to block incoming higher-than-normal tides.

“Together, these measures will prevent roadway flooding caused by the nearby James Island Creek, provide greater flow capacity, allow continual saltwater exchange through the crossing, and increase stormwater storage upstream,” officials wrote in a news release.

The project is slated for completion in spring 2026.