The Island News
Thursday, Nov. 13 was the day “the Grinch” was supposed to arrive in downtown Beaufort, and downtown merchants have been hoping “it” doesn’t spoil the holidays. Well, “it” showed up a day early.
As a part of the Charles-Craven streets drainage project, which in the not so distant past was meticulously scheduled so as to protect the holiday season for downtown merchants and visitors alike, the intersection of Bay Street and Charles Street will be closed to traffic for five to six weeks, beginning this week.
The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) and the City of Beaufort were set to begin construction in late October, but work on the west end of the project near the Waterfront Park revealed issues that required the changing of the construction timetable, according to the City.
According to the SCOR, the City of Beaufort’s downtown stormwater infrastructure, installed around 1900, no longer has the capacity to adequately store and channel stormwater during heavy rain events. The City was awarded $11.9 million for the project’s engineering, design, permitting, and construction as part of SCOR’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stormwater Infrastructure Program (ASIP).
Lolita Huckaby/The Island News
According to the SCOR’s news release from Oct. 13, the project will install larger pipe along North, Craven, and Charles Streets, which will lead to a new tidal check valve at the waterfront. These upgrades will provide protection against rainfall and riverine flooding above a 25-year, 24-hour storm event. Minor enhancements to the roadsides will improve pedestrian mobility and safety, as well.
“The project is located at the epicenter of the City of Beaufort which serves as a significant historic, recreational, and economic driver for the region and state,” S.C. Chief Resilience Officer Ben Duncan said in the October 13 news release. “Mitigating the risk of losses due to flooding is therefore a priority, and we are glad to see this project kicking off.”
City officials and S.C. Rep. Shannon Erickson, tried to work with SCOR for alternative dates and routes to delay the start of construction, but were unsuccessful.
“SCOR worked with us upon our request and examined and reexamined the project with the contractor and engineers,” Erickson said in the City’s recent press release. “Unfortunately, the timeline for closing the intersection is necessary to ensure project completion and preservation of funding for it.”
Despite the inconvenience, the improvements should be significant. Enlarging drains and doubling the size of drainage pipes will allow four times as much water to drain off City streets.
Staying open
The City has reiterated its support for downtown residents, businesses, and visitors throughout the construction period and has repeatedly stated that all businesses, restaurants, storefronts, and public spaces will remain open and accessible
Bay Street will remain open to pedestrian and vehicle traffic and parking. And, with some modification as needed, all regularly scheduled holiday events, including Night on the Town and the Christmas Parade, will continue as planned.
“The City is committed to doing whatever we can to minimize the impact of this intersection closure to commerce downtown,” City Manager Scott Marshall said in a news release. “No holiday events will be canceled, and our downtown will remain vibrant as always, if not more so given initiatives the City will assist with in working with our downtown merchants and restauranteurs.”
Community leaders and business owners are not sitting idly. There was a meeting scheduled for 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12 on the back porch of Q on Bay featuring officals from the City of Beaufort, the Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association and the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. The meeting is to discuss “collaborative plans for marketing, business resources, parking, shopper incentives guest experiences and more.
Detour plan, signs
A full detour map, which is running in The Island News with this story, and traffic plan will be shared with the public ahead of the road closure. The City also plans to install extensive signage to help drivers and pedestrians navigate safely through the area.
Changes for parking, commerce
The City of Beaufort is making some proactive changes to its parking situation in order to show support for downtown businesses during the intersection closure.
The Marina Parking Lot is now open for free all-day public parking, two weeks earlier than the usual free parking period during the holidays.
Also:
Free 2-hour parking through ParkMobile: Visitors can get two hours of free parking when using the ParkMobile app. A new code will be shared each week available on the City of Beaufort’s social media pages, Main Street Beaufort’s channels, the City website, or by contacting Park Beaufort directly.
Beaufort magic vouchers: A “Beaufort Magic” voucher will be printed in The Island News. Visitors can cut out the voucher and exchange it at Park Beaufort for a two-1-hour parking tokens.
Downtown business tokens: The City’s Downtown Operations team will be distributing parking tokens to downtown merchants for customer use, as part of an upcoming parking partnership initiative that will be announced soon.
Free holiday shuttle service: Beginning Black Friday (Nov. 29) and continuing Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., free shuttles will operate between all available downtown parking areas and Bay Street. The shuttle service will provide an easy, family-friendly way to get to shops, restaurants, and holiday events without the stress of finding a parking spot.
Downtown Beaufort dollars (coming soon):
The City is also developing a “Downtown Beaufort Dollars” program, which will provide special discounts and incentives for shopping with participating local merchants. More details will be released soon.
