You’re trying to get out of town for a long weekend. You grab your suitcase and keys and head out the door, dreading the inevitable airport traffic. Sure enough, as you approach Charleston International Airport, all cars slow to a crawl.
Sound familiar? Here’s the lowdown on the slowdown: Airport traffic is combining with commuters headed to destinations off of I-526 — like Boeing and the North Charleston Coliseum — causing significant congestion.
One solution is the Airport Connector Road — a proposed five-lane road providing direct access to Charleston International Airport, separating the two sources of cars and improving the flow of traffic.
The Charleston County Transportation and Development Dept. is set to receive $16.1 million in federal funds for the project. The plan has been in the works since 2013 and accounts for current + future travel demands. Charleston International Airport is expecting over 5 million passengers this year alone.
The goal is not only to decrease congestion, but also to increase traffic capacity to allow for economic growth in the area.
Project timeline:
🚗 2022: Permit applications, utility coordination, and a public hearing
🚗 2023: Right of way acquisition and permitting, final construction plans, and advertising for bids
🚗 2024: Construction scheduled to begin
You can speak up about the plan at the public hearing set to take place at the end of the third quarter of this year. Keep an eye on our newsletters for updates. In the meantime, enter the virtual public meeting here.
