Charleston City Council has approved the next phase of the Battery Extension project, following a recent meeting in Washington, D.C. with leadership from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The council’s decision allows the city to enter into a design agreement with USACE, which unlocks $13.3 million in federal funding for pre-construction, engineering, and design work.
Alongside this project, council members also agreed to allocate $1.1 million from the Office of Resiliency’s fiscal year 2025 budget to continue USACE’s Tidal & Inland Flood Risk Management Study. While the Battery Extension focuses on protecting Charleston’s peninsula, the flood risk study aims to address flooding throughout all neighborhoods in the city.
The Battery Extension will expand Charleston’s High Battery around the peninsula to protect against tidal flooding and storm surges. City officials have updated earlier plans for the extension; instead of building a concrete wall that would separate neighborhoods from the waterfront, they now plan a continuous walkable path that offers both flood protection and public access.
“Charleston deserves solutions that don’t just protect us during a storm but add value to our community every single day,” said Mayor Cogswell. “The Battery Extension, as we’ve re-envisioned it, will do both: safeguard homes and businesses while giving residents and visitors alike a beautiful public space that connects the peninsula to the water.”
Last week, Mayor William Cogswell joined Councilmembers Mike Seekings and Keith Waring in Washington for discussions with Major General Jason E. Kelly of USACE. During these meetings, city leaders encouraged USACE to consider designing and constructing the project as a whole rather than in phases.
The next step is for Charleston officials to sign an official design agreement with USACE so work on the Battery Extension can proceed.
