Plumber in Summerville, SC

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) — Dorchester County leaders unveiled preliminary plans Thursday for a major improvement project along U.S. 17A, giving residents their first opportunity to weigh in on a proposal aimed at reducing congestion and improving safety on one of Summerville's busiest corridors.

The public information meeting at Summerville High School featured maps, concept plans and project displays outlining proposed improvements along approximately 6.6 miles of U.S. 17A between Research Center Drive and Luden Drive. Anyone who couldn't attend can still review the meeting materials, project maps and submit comments on the Dorchester Transportation website.

The proposed project includes road widening, intersection improvements, new sidewalks, a 12-foot shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists, and drainage upgrades.

County leaders said the meeting marked the beginning of the public input process and stressed that the plans are still preliminary.

"We're here for the 17A or Boone Hill Road Improvement Project," said Mackenzie Kelley, transportation development manager with Dorchester County. "This is our first public information meeting. So we're inviting the public to come out to look at our initial concepts and proposals for this plan and get public feedback."

READ MORE | BCDCOG seeks public input on US 17-A corridor congestion and safety plan

Residents who attended said congestion along the corridor has become increasingly frustrating as Summerville continues to grow.

"Traffic in Summerville is terrible. It's gotten worse over the years," resident Billy Wiggins said. "It's unbelievable the amount of time that people spend on the road in stop-and-go traffic to get home in the afternoons."

According to Dorchester County, traffic studies project vehicle volumes along the corridor could increase by 200% by 2050 if no improvements are made.

"We're projecting, based on our traffic studies, traffic to increase by 200% by 2050," Kelley said. "We already have seen the delays at peak times through the corridor. So we definitely know that this is a needed project."

While many residents supported the proposal, some also offered suggestions for potential changes, including widening additional sections of the corridor to better address existing bottlenecks.

County officials said that's exactly the type of feedback they're hoping to receive before the design is finalized.

"It absolutely could," Kelley said when asked whether the plans could change based on public input. "We want the public's feedback. The public may know more about certain areas and be able to propose what they're seeing or what they'd like to see in the corridor."

The project is estimated to cost about $213 million. According to project materials, it's currently funded through the preliminary design phase. Right-of-way acquisition is expected to begin around 2028, with construction anticipated to start as early as 2030, pending additional funding.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) — The Summerville Town Council approved an ordinance Thursday night allowing people to carry beer or wine while walking through designated areas of the downtown business district.

Under the proposal, open containers would be permitted Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in a defined area around the town’s main square.

Mayor Russ Touchberry said the council looked at the impact a similar ordinance had in Hartsville, S.C., before moving forward.

“This council has been working extraordinarily hard to create a business-friendly environment and to make sure that the atmosphere of Summerville is vibrant for all users,” Touchberry said. “And it creates opportunities for folks to come into town and enjoy our shops and our restaurants and all of our businesses.”

Touchberry described the ordinance as opt-in and opt-out, with the open container zone confined to the business district. That includes parts of South Cedar Street, West Doty Avenue, East Doty Avenue, South Magnolia Street, South Main Street, East Richardson Avenue, Central Avenue, West 2nd South Street, and West Richardson Avenue.

“It’s intended to kind of increase foot traffic, create a vibrant atmosphere, and it’s completely opt-in, opt-out as people deem necessary,” he said. “But the area will be very confined to the business district and a lot of structure around that.”

Some residents and business owners have raised concerns about enforcement and liability. Community members Diane Frankenberger and Amy Pereira questioned who would be held responsible if someone drank and drove.

“Who is responsible then?” Frankenberger said. “Is it the town or the business? Where they’re last served. Is it all of the above?” Pereira said.

Frankenberger, who has worked and lived in Summerville for decades, said she was hesitant when she first heard about the proposal.

“The first time it was brought up at a town council meeting, I thought this is nuts and who does that benefit,” she said.

Since the first town council meeting, however, Frankenberger said she trusts the mayor, police force and council to make the right call.

“I want to see accountability of did business really improve?” Frankenberger said. “What has made the difference?”

Touchberry said he does not expect behavior to change among bar owners or consumers.

“I know our bar owners are all very good professionals and they’re not going to serve somebody who’s already indicated that they’re overserved,” he said.

The ordinance takes effect immediately.

Top 10 teams from across I-26 face off on the gridiron Sept. 11.

This week brings some potentially great match ups. Perhaps none are as intriguing as the game featuring a pair of teams that have played each other since 1923.

Berkeley, which got out to a 2-0 start this season, hosts Summerville, which also started 2-0. The Green Wave is ranked No. 4 in the Sept. 2 S.C. Prep Football Media Class 5A Poll while the Stags are No. 8. That poll and those records were the latest available at press time due to early deadlines for the Labor Day weekend.

The last time Berkeley beat Summerville on the gridiron was in 2019. However, since Henry Rivers came along as the Berkeley quarterback the Stags have come close. In 2024 Summerville won 41-35 after trailing by 11 points in the second half. In 2025 Summerville won 36-20.

Reports of the overall series record vary slightly, but according to Berkeley Independent records, Summerville has a 64-23-4 edge in the series.

Ashley Ridge hosts a defending state champion. The Swamp Foxes (0-2) welcome Oceanside Collegiate (0-2), which won the Class 3A state championship the past two seasons. This one may be more interesting than it looks as both teams faced good football teams in Weeks 1-2.

Last season the teams met for the first time and the Landsharks won 35-21.

In an all Berkeley County affair Stratford (0-2) hosts Goose Creek (1-1). The Knights won 48-0 last year but lost several key players since.

Other Games

Fort Dorchester v. Wando

Cane Bay v. Philip Simmons

Cross @ Lake Marion

Hanahan v. Andrews

Northwood Academy v. Atlantic Collegiate

St. John’s Christian @ Military Magnet

Timberland @ Kingstree

SUMMERVILLE — In August, The Post and Courier conducted a survey asking residents of Flowertown and the surrounding area to share their thoughts about the Historic District, how they interact with the neighborhood in their everyday lives and what they think of policy proposals that would affect it.

Of the 117 respondents, most seemed to oppose recent policy proposals and broader changes to the neighborhood’s historic character and small-town feel.

Roughly half of respondents are retired, and 77 percent are over the age of 50. Among respondents, nearly 73 percent live within town limits, and 32 percent live within the Historic District. Roughly half of respondents who live in Summerville said they'd moved there since 2002. Of those who lived there longer, seven were born and raised there.

The bulk of the survey covered three policy proposals affecting the Historic District: zoning for short-term rentals and bed-and-breakfasts, a proposed outdoor entertainment district and a proposed overlay zoning district.

Town council has been considering whether certain district properties serving as short-term rentals or B&Bs should be rezoned to allow for more guest rooms. Nearly three in five respondents said they are at least somewhat familiar with the town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) which governs how properties are zoned in town. A similar number were at least somewhat familiar with the UDO’s rules governing short-term rentals and B&Bs.

Nearly half of respondents said they think the UDO’s rules governing those properties were "just right" as they currently stand. More than a third said they were "too loose." A broad majority of respondents, 76 percent, said they oppose rezoning Historic District properties to allow for more guest rooms.

Generally speaking, respondents were supportive of short-term rental cottages and B&Bs but thought regulations for things like parking, owner-occupancy and the allowed number of units should be strictly enforced.

The second policy issue discussed in the survey was the outdoor entertainment district, which council passed in an amended form near the end of the survey period in August.

The original proposal would have allowed patrons to carry one beer or glass of wine in an approved disposable cup of no more than 16 ounces between 10 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week.

Respondents largely opposed the initial iteration of the outdoor entertainment district. Many expressed concerns about the extensive hours, potential cleanliness and public safety issues and the potential impacts on the character of downtown. Supporters of the entertainment district said it would help bring more foot traffic into the heart of town.

Among Historic District residents who responded, only 35 percent approved of the outdoor entertainment district as originally proposed.

The version of the proposal that council eventually passed greatly restricted the hours for outdoor drinking, making them 11 a.m.-8 p.m. only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays as well as during approved special events.

Lastly, the survey asked respondents about the previously-floated overlay zoning district for part of the Historic District within a quarter-mile of the town's parking garage. The proposal would negate the need for rezoning to turn a residential property into a professional office and loosen the owner-occupancy rules for short-term rentals and B&Bs.

Respondents largely opposed such an overlay, with only 30 percent supporting it. Among Historic District residents, only 27 percent supported the proposal. Supporters said the proposal could allow for strategic business growth in the center of town, with some pointing to businesses that have preserved the historic character of the homes they transformed into offices or restaurants.

Opponents also cited the historic character of the area, as well as concerns about traffic and the expansion of commercial properties into residential neighborhoods.

The survey also asked respondents about their first experiences with the Historic District and what they hope the future holds for the area. Many residents described the neighborhood as quaint and quiet with a small-town charm.

When asked about what the biggest change to the Historic District has been since their first experience, many respondents said traffic congestion — a sentiment shared among many around the Charleston area. Numerous residents said the growth and development coming to town has been a big change for the neighborhood, with some praising revitalizations to Hutchinson Square and downtown storefronts while others expressed concerns about overcrowding.

Many respondents said they would like to see less traffic and more infrastructure improvements, including making the area more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as an emphasis on protecting the neighborhood’s character amid the growth.

Summerville won its first Top 10 football showdown of the season.

The Green Wave, ranked fifth in the South Carolina Media Preseason 5A poll, opened its 2026 season Aug. 21 by handing eighth ranked Sumter a 28-7 loss at Memorial Stadium.

“I thought it was a great effort,” said Summerville coach Ian Rafferty. “We’ve faced a lot of adversity the last week and a couple of days and the kids handled it very well. We have to clean up some things, but I thought they played hard and executed good for the most part. We were physical and they did all the things we asked them to do.”

Summerville drove up field on its first possession and decided to attempt a 27-yard field goal, but the Gamecocks blocked it. Sumter then drove 76 yards to open the scoring on a 41-yard run by Franklin Richardson. Connor Rivers added the PAT for a 7-0 Sumter lead.

It looked like Summerville responded on its next possession, but a 47-yard run into the end zone by Jayven Williams was called back on a penalty.

On the Green Wave’s first possession of the second quarter, Williams broke free for a 54-yard TD run and since it wasn’t negated the score was tied with Nate Beaver’s PAT.

Summerville really grabbed momentum shortly after when the Sumter quarterback had trouble with a snap. Green Wave lineman Demarcus King picked the loose ball up and ran into the end zone for a 14-7 Wave lead with Beaver’s PAT.

That lead held through halftime. In the second half, Summerville added to its tally with a TD run by Maxwell Grant and a TD catch by Devin Garza.

“Sumter has a really good team,” Rafferty said. “They had some tough breaks tonight, but we moved the ball on them. We scored some points with our defense and we kind of shut them down after their score. We’ll probably see them again in the playoffs.”

Williams paced the offense with 140 rushing yards and had two receptions for 20 yards. Grant finished with nearly 70 rushing yards.