Nearly $100M project aims at alleviating traffic congestion on busy Johns Island, West Ashley road

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston County officials are hoping to improve traffic flow along Main Road in a project set to cost approximately $100 million.

It’s focused on the section of Main Road from Bees Ferry in West Ashley to River Road on Johns Island.

The project’s primary purpose is to increase capacity on that stretch of road, which means widening it could be part of the plans.

It’s other top goal is to reduce congestion and improve capacity at the intersection of Main Road and Savannah Highway.

Flooding has also been taken into consideration, and the county is looking at raising the roadway to elevate those concerns. These improvements aren’t just for drivers either.

This project would extend the West Ashley Greenway to Bees Ferry. Right now, there are seven possible plans on the table. The factors being considered are public input, cost, environmental impact, and projected traffic over the next 20 years.

Once a plan is decided on, a public meeting is set to be held in January or February of 2020. Then, the plans will go through two years of approval and permitting before construction begins in the fall of 2022.

Officials will hold their first public information meeting on Monday, May 20. It’ll be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. John’s High School on Johns Island.