Charleston County Council takes key step toward finalizing 2026 transportation sales tax program

Charleston County Council took a significant step tonight toward placing a 2026 TST program on the ballot, directing staff to prepare a draft ordinance following the completion of two rounds of public engagement and subsequent program refinements.

Tonight’s action moves the TST program beyond earlier draft iterations and into the formal approval process, which includes three readings by County Council before the ordinance and referendum are finalized. Council may continue to make amendments throughout this process.

“Tonight’s vote reflects a program shaped, tested, and strengthened by the people we serve,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Joe Boykin. “We’ve taken what we heard and turned it into a balanced plan that invests in safer roads, expanded transit, and the preservation of our community’s character. While there’s still work ahead, this step brings us closer to giving voters a clear, accountable path forward for how Charleston County moves, grows, and protects what makes it home.”

Key updates incorporated into the program advanced tonight include:

• Addition of improvements to Seabrook Island Road within the Roadway Infrastructure category
• Replacement of the Doar Road at Sewee Road intersection project with the Steed Creek Road at Highway 17 Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) intersection project
• Establishment of a 50/50 urban-rural funding split within the Greenbelt Program

The program reflects a multi-phase, transparent public input process that began in September 2025. County Council first adopted guiding principles, funding categories, project lists, and scoring criteria, followed by approval of an initial draft program in February. Council then directed staff to conduct additional outreach, including an online survey, in-person public meetings, and a statistically representative public opinion poll.

A comprehensive report on this second phase of engagement was presented to Council on April 14. The program is grounded in Council’s adopted guiding principles, which focus on completing priority projects, reducing congestion and improving safety, expanding multimodal options, preserving quality of life through strategic Greenbelt investments, strengthening infrastructure resilience, and maintaining transparency and accountability.

In total, more than 6,000 individuals participated in the process, generating over 56,500 responses and nearly 4,500 open-ended comments.

Based on this input and the adopted guiding principles, the program allocates:

• $2.7 billion (63.52%) to Roadway Infrastructure
• $860 million (20.24%) to Public Transit
• $690 million (16.24%) to the Greenbelt Program

The full list of projects and a detailed breakdown of roadway infrastructure funding can be found here.

Tonight’s action directs the preparation of a draft ordinance and ballot language but does not yet place the measure on the November ballot. County Council must approve the ordinance through three readings, including a public hearing and opportunity for public comment, before the program and referendum are finalized.

If approved by voters, the proposed 2026 Transportation Sales Tax program is projected to generate approximately $4.25 billion over 25 years. It would replace the 2004 Charleston County Transportation Sales Tax that is set to expire in 2027.

To learn more, please visit www.CharlestonTransportation.com.