Septima Clark Project Phase 2 Begins

CHARLESTON, SC – The City of Charleston has begun construction on Phase 2 of the Septima Clark Drainage and Transportation Improvement Project. The construction necessitates the following road closures, which will begin the week of June 8 and will remain closed for approximately two months:

• Sheppard St Closure: The Sheppard Street off-ramp from US17 will be closed while construction crews install a 125-ft deep drilled drop shaft.  Sheppard Street will be closed from Highway 17/Crosstown to Rutledge Ave.
• President & Fishburne St Closure: The intersection of President and Fishburne Streets will be closed for utility work associated with the project.

Phase 2 consists of drainage and roadwork on the sections of Spring St and Cannon St from Septima Clark Parkway to Lockwood Blvd, President St from Cannon St to Fishburne St, Fishburne St from President St to Ashley Ave, and Ashley Avenue from Fishburne St to Sumter St. New stormwater infrastructure will include more than 12,000 linear feet (LF) of new stormwater pipe ranging in size from 15-in to 54-in, over 300 new stormwater structures, cleaning of more than 10,000 LF of existing stormwater pipes, and 8 vertical drilled drop shafts that will eventually connect to the deep tunnel system once constructed.  Also included in this phase is extensive landscaping of the area between Spring and Cannon Streets; water and wastewater improvements; and asphalt milling, paving, and striping.

The first phase of this multi-phase project was completed in April 2013 included the construction of vehicular and pedestrian improvements on the Septima Clark Parkway from Coming Street to the junction of Spring Street and the immediately adjacent side streets; installation of an Intelligent Traffic System (ITS); construction of water and wastewater improvements; and, most importantly, construction of drainage improvements including over 5,000 LF of new pipe, more than 175 new stormwater structures, and more than 2,000 LF of existing pipe were cleaned.  This work was funded by a $10 million TIGER 1 grant.

In the interim between the close-out of Phase 1 and the commencement of Phase 2, the City, along with its consultants, finalized the design of Phase 2 and secured funding from the Federal Match Program administered by the SCDOT.  The cost of construction for this phase of the project is $23.5 million.