FTA advances Lowcountry Rapid Transit project in CIG program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has approved the Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) project to enter the New Starts Engineering phase of its Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program. The planned 21.3-mile bus rapid transit (BRT) system in the South Carolina Lowcountry will serve one of the fastest growing regions of the U.S.

LCRT is governed by a four-party intergovernmental agreement that includes the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG), Charleston County, South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the Charleston Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA).

“Our beautiful state is the 10th fastest growing state in the nation with the Charleston metropolitan area being among the fastest-growing parts of South Carolina. The innovative Lowcountry Bus Rapid Transit project has the potential to improve the quality of life and reduce congestion for Charleston and North Charleston,” said SCDOT Secretary Christie Hall.

The maximum federal contribution to the project is now set at $375,060,506, or 60 percent of the current project cost. The local project funding match is committed from the Charleston County half-cent sales tax. With approval to enter the Engineering phase, BCDCOG has automatic pre-award authority to incur various reimbursable project-related costs, including engineering activities and vehicle purchases.

“The FTA is required to evaluate proposed projects against a number of criteria and ensure that prospective grant recipients demonstrate the technical, legal and financial capability to implement the project. BCDCOG has met those thresholds,” said BCDCOG Executive Director Ron Mitchum.

The project will also be South Carolina’s first mass transit infrastructure investment and will run parallel to Interstate 26 between Line Street and Hagood Ave. to Exchange Park/Fairgrounds.

“Lowcountry Rapid Transit is history in the making, which is saying something for our region. LCRT is truly new ground – both here and throughout all of South Carolina. This is the state’s first mass transit infrastructure project, and it is now one important step closer to reality,” said CARTA Chairman Mike Seekings.

Steve Dudash, chairman, LCRT Strategic Leaders Partnership Committee, added, “Private-sector leaders across the region have long recognized the importance of Lowcountry Rapid Transit and its transformative potential. We applaud the project partners for bringing LCRT to this point, and we stand united in continued support.”

What’s next for the project

Stakeholders will procure an engineering design firm as an immediate next step in a process that will be undertaken via the SCDOT procurement process. Design work is projected to begin in early 2023.

LCRT entered  the New Starts Project Development phase in October 2019. The engineering phase is anticipated to last about two years. After that, the project will be reviewed for execution of the Full Funding Grant Agreement and authorization to enter the construction phase, with an opening date of 2028.

“Entry into Engineering is an exciting development that has been made possible by the hard work of many throughout the region -- but there is still more to achieve. We thank the community for its support and partnership in helping to make LCRT a reality,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie Pryor.