BEAUFORT, S.C. (WTOC) – The City of Beaufort heard from downtown business owners about their concerns with a storm drainage project expected to start next week.
The first part of the project will close an intersection of downtown for several weeks, and business owners are worried it will impact business, especially as the holiday season nears.
Beaufort business owners count on the holiday shopping season, but an incoming storm drainage project could hamper that holiday rush.
“It’s our Olympics,” Owner of SugarBelle, Cherimie Weatherford said. “I don’t think anyone is going to sugarcoat that. We know that this is huge, and we understand the impacts and that it is going to affect our families.”
The project looks to replace age-old pipes and help with flooding in the area. Originally, it was going to start farther down Charles Street, but engineers determined they needed to start closer to the waterfront at the Bay Street intersection.
That part of the project is expected to take 5 to 6 weeks, which means part of the street will be closed through Christmas.
“We plan for things that we know will hinder sales and traffic, but when we don’t know they’re coming, that’s when it gets difficult,” Weatherford said.
The city says they understand the timing of this project is not ideal, but they ensure people will still be able to travel on Bay Street and businesses will still be able to operate as normal, while traffic will be diverted around the work.
They are also working to create a task force to try and find ways to help local businesses navigate through this.
The first meeting between this group is expected to take place on Wednesday afternoon.
“Take a look at what incentives we can provide and how we can induce people to come downtown, spend money, and realize that downtown’s not closed,” Beaufort City Manager, Scott Marshall said. “Downtown is open.”
State Representative Shannon Erickson, who represents the Beaufort area, says she has been in communication with the office that is handling the funding of the project and has asked them if the start date can be pushed back until December.
She hopes to get an answer on Wednesday.
The entire storm drainage project must be completed by December of next year.
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