Delemar Highway

Dorchester County will hold a public meeting on Thursday, March 26th, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Ashley Ridge High School, 9800 Delemar Hwy, Summerville, SC 29485. The meeting will be a drop-in format, and no formal presentation will be given.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide information about the project, share preliminary plans, and to solicit the public’s feedback. The Delemar Project improvements project includes the widening of Delemar Highway between Clubhouse Road and Clay Field Trail to reduce traffic congestion, improve safety, and accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians. 

Comments from the public will be accepted for a 30-day period following the public meeting. To access meeting materials and the online comment form after the in-person meeting, please visit DorchesterTransportation.com or email Transportation@dorchestercountysc.gov.

Public Meeting 

Comment Form 

NOTICE TO CITIZENS OF DORCHESTER COUNTY: Pursuant to the South Carolina Eminent Domain Procedure Act, Section 28-2-70(c), Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended, notice is hereby given that entry by personnel of, or working under contract with, Dorchester County (County) will be made in the area of the road(s) described below for such purposes as topographic surveys, subsurface exploration, environmental related studies and for the gathering of any other data necessary for the planning, design, property acquisition and construction of a roadway improvement project. Surveys for the project will be conducted on the following road(s) as described: 

• SC 165 (Delemar Highway) between S-84 (Clubhouse Road) and Ashley Ridge High School, including up to 500 feet in either direction on intersecting roadways 
• Clubhouse Road approximately 1,250 feet in either direction from the intersection with Delemar Highway 

The project involves road widening and intersection improvements, and improvements to bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. This project is made possible by the Dorchester County Transportation Sales Tax Program. Information about the project may be obtained by contacting Dorchester County at Transportation@dorchestercountysc.gov or visiting https://dorchestertransportation.com/.  Dorchester County Project ID: 24TSDH 

• The Program’s project list was developed through a collaborative effort led by an Infrastructure Subcommittee, which was specifically formed for the Transportation Sales Tax (TST) initiative. This subcommittee brought together local leaders, planners, engineers, and elected officials, including representatives from Dorchester County government, the Town of Summerville, City of North Charleston, and the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce. Working in coordination with the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG), Berkeley County, and Charleston County, the committee aimed to identify and prioritize transportation projects that addressed critical infrastructure needs throughout the County.
• The Infrastructure Subcommittee provided a recommended list of projects to the Dorchester County Council, which reviewed the proposed transportation projects for their alignment with the County’s Comprehensive Plan, Strategic Plan, and infrastructure priorities. A public hearing was held on September 19, 2022, and the public’s feedback was used to further refine the list of projects, which were ultimately approved by Dorchester County Council through Ordinances 22-16 and 22-22 to levy and impose a one percent sales and use tax, subject to a referendum. On November 8, 2022, Dorchester County voters favored continuing the existing sales and use tax. 

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The project will reduce future traffic congestion, improve safety, and accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians throughout the corridor. 

• Reduce Traffic Congestion: Although traffic in this area is currently operating at an acceptable level of service, future traffic projections show the corridor is expected to reach a failing level of service by 2050 if no improvements are made. The proposed road improvements take into account future growth and traffic demands along the corridor and is designed to operate at an acceptable level of service through the design year of 2050.                                                                                                                                       
• Improve Safety: Road safety, for all road users, is a critical concern in South Carolina.  Statistics show that roads in South Carolina and our region are among the worst in the nation and state, respectively, for crashes and fatalities.  Projects in the Transportation Sales Tax Program will be designed to improve safety throughout the corridor for all road users. 
  • 1,299 traffic fatalities in our region between 2014 and 2023
  • 2nd worst region in South Carolina for traffic fatalities 
  • 2nd worst region in South Carolina for total crashes
  • 2nd worst region in South Carolina for pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities
  • 3rd worst state in the U.S. for pedestrian fatality rate
  • 5th worst region in South Carolina for bicyclist fatality rate 

                                      **Source: NHTSA FIRST Database

• Accommodate bicyclists and Pedestrians: Both the SCDOT and Dorchester County have adopted Complete Streets policies that require and encourage safe transportation for all users. All projects within our Transportation Sales Tax program include bike lanes and/or shared use paths in addition to sidewalks to accommodate both bicyclist and pedestrians along the corridor. By including these improvements in all of our projects, we are developing a network of multimodal connectivity throughout the County. More information on these policies can be found here: 
  • SCDOT Complete Streets Policy - adopted in February 2021
  • Dorchester County Complete Streets Ordinance - adopted in January 2025 

• No. The 2022 Transportation Sales Tax program will generate $700 Million in funding for transportation improvements, but the funding needs for the Program’s projects well exceed that. While Delemar Highway is identified as a corridor with considerable growth projected, the County must prioritize our projects based on current needs and available funding.  Delemar Highway Improvements is currently only funded through preliminary design, but it will be developed to remain eligible for Federal grants and other funding and partnership opportunities as they become available.

• The project team follows the procedures of the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Traffic Noise Abatement Policy, which was developed to meet Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirements.
• As a part of the preliminary design development process for this project, a traffic noise impact analysis was completed to study the existing noise levels and future projected noise levels along the entire corridor. The purpose of the analysis is to evaluate whether noise abatement measures need to be considered as part of the project to help reduce noise impacts that would result from the project.

Results of the noise impact analysis show that a number of existing homes adjacent to Delemar Highway in the Homecoming (Phase II) neighborhood would be impacted by noise as a result of the widening project.  Preliminary design studies also found that a noise barrier wall would be both ‘feasible and generally reasonable’ to construct per the Noise Abatement Policy.   

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• Concept plans presented at the Public Information Meeting in March 2026 show a high-level estimate of proposed improvements and future right-of-way locations. These plans are subject to change as the design is revised and as the County works to minimize impacts through further development of the engineering plans.
• As the design is further developed, right-of-way plans will need to be approved by the SCDOT. Once approved, the SCDOT will issue the County authorization to move forward with right-of-way acquisition. It is important to remember that right-of-way is not only needed for road improvements, but also other infrastructure improvements that are included in these projects such as the construction of sidewalks or shared use paths, drainage improvements, and utility relocations.

If right-of-way needs to be obtained from your property due to a transportation improvement project, a right‑of‑way agent contracted through Dorchester County will contact you directly to explain the formal process and next steps at that time. To learn more about your rights and available resources, you may review SCDOT’s Highways and You Brochure.

• Partial Property Acquisition (Partial Take)

Portions of private properties (typically referred to as strip takes) may need to be acquired in order to construct and maintain the transportation project.  This area could be used for widening, drainage, or utility improvements and could be purchased as an easement or in Fee Simple. In these situations, you will receive compensation both for the land acquired and for any impacts to the remaining property, if applicable. When this occurs, the right‑of‑way agent will make an offer for the fair market value of the property based on an appraisal. The right‑of‑way agent will review the appraisal with you and explain how the value was determined. If adjustments to driveways, landscaping, or access are required, the project team will work with you to minimize disruptions.
 

• Full Property Acquisition (Full Take)

In some cases, a transportation project may require the purchase of an entire property. When this occurs, the right‑of‑way agent will make an offer for the fair market value of the property based on an appraisal. If relocation is necessary, residents are eligible for relocation assistance benefits such as help finding a new home, reimbursement for closing costs, moving costs, and, when applicable, supplemental payments to ensure access to comparable replacement housing. All services are provided at no cost to the property owner or tenant, and the goal is to make the transition as smooth and equitable as possible. Any resident who must relocate due to a Transportation Sales Tax project is protected under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.). These federal protections guarantee fair and consistent treatment, just compensation, and assistance during the moving and relocation process.  Please note, the Delemar Highway Improvements Project is currently not anticipating any full property acquisitions as part of this project.

• Dorchester County’s Zoning and Land Development Standards 04-13, Section 5.4.8 (Setbacks from Designated Corridors) requires developments to be constructed with setbacks and buffer yards measured from the future right-of-way established for designated transportation projects such as Delemar Highway.