Charleston City Council advanced the Battery extension project and committed additional funding for citywide flood solutions

Following a successful trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with leadership at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston City Council voted last night to move the long-discussed Battery Extension project forward by entering into a design agreement with USACE. The decision releases $13.3 million in federal funds for the project and allows it to begin the pre-construction, engineering, and design phase.

In addition to advancing the Battery Extension, council also voted to authorize $1.1 million from the Office of Resiliency’s FY2025 operating budget to continue the U.S. Army Corps’ Tidal & Inland Flood Risk Management Study. Unlike the Battery Extension, which is focused on protecting the peninsula, this study addresses flooding citywide—an important step toward solving flooding issues across every neighborhood in Charleston, not just downtown.

The Battery Extension would expand Charleston’s iconic High Battery around the peninsula, protecting the city from both everyday tidal flooding and storm surge from major storms. Importantly, Mayor William Cogswell and City Council have directed significant design changes since the project’s earlier days. Instead of a concrete “T-wall” that would have cut off neighborhoods from the water, the current concept extends the Battery in a way that enhances public life—creating a continuous walkable path around the peninsula while also serving as vital flood protection.

“Charleston deserves solutions that don’t just protect us during a storm but add value to our community every single day,” said Mayor Cogswell. “The Battery Extension, as we’ve re-envisioned it, will do both: safeguard homes and businesses while giving residents and visitors alike a beautiful public space that connects the peninsula to the water.”

Last week, Mayor Cogswell, Councilmembers Mike Seekings and Keith Waring, and city staff met in Washington with Major General Jason E. Kelly, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations. City leaders urged the Corps to move quickly and to consider designing the project as a whole rather than in phases—a strategy that would provide a more holistic and efficient approach to construction.

The next step is for the City of Charleston to officially sign the design agreement with USACE, moving the Battery Extension closer to becoming reality.