Phase 2 of Huger Street and King Street pump station project begins

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Shovels hit the ground Monday at Huger Street and King Street, signaling the start of the second and final phase of a drainage improvement project.

“We fought tirelessly trying to get this done and now it’s going to be a reality,” said Charleston City Councilman Robert Mitchell during a groundbreaking ceremony. “So, we can look back and say, ‘our work wasn’t done in vain.’”

Construction will bring a new pump station and stormwater storage feature to the Downtown Charleston intersection with a history of flooding. According to city leaders, the problem has even caused businesses to close.

“We had an after-school program right on King Street there. She left because, three times, she had to renovate her place three different times because of the flooding,” Mitchell shared.

The next portion of the work will tie in with the drainage pipes upgraded during Phase 1 of the project. City officials anticipated the new pump station will increase the flow out of the intersection by 70,000 gallons per minute and will push the flood water into New Market Creek.

“When this wraps up, it will be built in a very beautiful architectural manner with an open amenities space, making it not just an improvement for stormwater, but a leveraged improvement for the community,” said Matthew Fountain, the Director of Stormwater Management for the City of Charleston.

Leaders thanked the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority for a $10 million award, and the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston for providing the land for the project.

“We’re not building on it, we’re not doing anything like that. And when the city comes up with a way that will stop the flooding, just here alone, but its not just here, its all over this area. You know, its hard for us to turn that around because we’re here to help Charleston,” said Arthur S. Milligan, Jr., the President & CEO of the housing authority.

According to the city, construction is projected to last 18 months.