Morning high tides of 8 feet Sunday and 8.1 feet Monday and Tuesday could close many downtown streets. Cumberland Street is shut between Meeting and Church through Oct. 30.

Last checked Oct. 20, 2026; tide forecast updated Oct. 25. Updated weekly. Sources: the City of Charleston’s news releases, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), the city’s road closures map, the I-526 Lowcountry Corridor project and Charleston County’s projects under construction.

Roughly half the roads in Charleston belong to the state, the city says, including the busiest corridors: I-26, I-526, U.S. 17 (Savannah Highway and the Crosstown), Folly Road and Maybank Highway. Those are SCDOT roads. The city looks after its own streets, and Charleston County builds projects paid for by its transportation sales tax.

Who to call

  • Live traffic, closures and crashes on interstates and state routes: dial 511, or 511sc.org
  • State roads, potholes, signals: SCDOT customer service, 855-467-2368 (855-GO-SCDOT)
  • City streets, flooding, any city question: Citizen Services Desk, 843-724-7311, citizenservices@charleston-sc.gov
  • County road projects: Charleston County Public Works, 843-202-7600
  • Flooded streets in real time: the city’s WaterWise page and the TIDEeye app
  • Crash or hazard in the road: 911

This week

Cumberland Street closed downtown. All lanes of Cumberland Street are closed between Meeting and Church streets for a road cut through 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, the city’s road closures map shows. Nearby, State and Cumberland streets have a lane shift between East Bay Street and Linguard Street through Oct. 31.

Other street closures on the city’s list now:

  • Hutson Street, closed between King and Queen streets for loading through 10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27.
  • King Street, lanes partly blocked between Warren and Calhoun streets overnight for utility repairs, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Monday, Oct. 26.
  • Rutledge Avenue, lanes partly blocked in three places: Vanderhorst to Calhoun streets for MUSC work through Oct. 28, Broad to Savage streets for gas service work through Oct. 29, and Sans Souci Street to Peachtree Street for utility repairs through Nov. 1.
  • Gibbes Street, lanes partly blocked between Tradd and Rutledge streets for gas service work through Nov. 2.
  • Huger Street, lanes partly blocked between Dewey and North Tracy streets for utility repairs through Oct. 30.
  • Ingram Road in West Ashley, closed between Culpepper Circle and Sumar Street for construction of a city office building, through Oct. 30.
  • Daniel Island: Daniel Island Drive (Pier View Street to River Landing Drive) and Pier View Street (Seven Farms Drive to Helmsman Street) are closed for utility repairs into January, and River Landing Drive between Seven Farms Drive and Pier View Street is closed for roundabout construction through March 2027.

Coming up in the next two weeks:

  • Walk to End Alzheimer’s, 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25: Hagood Avenue (Fishburne to Huger streets), Fishburne Street (Lockwood Drive to Hagood), Huger Street (Hagood to Elmwood Avenue), Elmwood Avenue and Mary Murray Drive.
  • Hasell Street, lanes partly blocked between Anson and Washington streets for utility repairs, Monday, Oct. 26, to Friday, Oct. 30; then closed between East Bay and Anson streets Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Wednesday, Nov. 4.
  • Sans Souci Street, lanes partly blocked between Clemson and Hester streets, Oct. 26 to Nov. 8.
  • James Island Expressway (S.C. 30), the James Island Connector, closed between Folly Road and the Herbert U. Fielding Connector (S.C. 61) for the James Island Connector Run, 5:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 31. Use Folly Road and U.S. 17 over the Wappoo Cut.
  • Wappoo Drive, closed between Riverland Drive and Plymouth Avenue for Riverland Terrace Halloween, 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

The city’s map gives the street, the block and the hours but not a detour for each closure. Questions go to the Citizen Services Desk, 843-724-7311.

Coastal flood warning, major tides into Tuesday. Updated Oct. 25. The National Weather Service in Charleston issued a coastal flood warning for 4 to 11 a.m. Sunday. The NOAA gauge on the Cooper River at Charleston Harbor is forecast at 8 feet around the 7:34 a.m. high tide, major flood stage, and 8.1 feet around 9 a.m. Monday and Tuesday. Evening tides are lower: 7.5 feet Sunday and 7.1 feet Monday. At 7.5 feet the weather service lists U.S. 17 at S.C. 61, Market Street, East Bay Street, Rutledge Avenue and the streets around MUSC among the roads that flood; Lockwood Drive, Hagood Avenue and Morrison Drive flood from 7 feet. Check TIDEeye before you drive, and never go around a barricade. Read the warning, the tide forecast and which streets flood.

U.S. 17 at the Ashley River. Overnight lane closures for the Ashley River Crossing bridge, built by contractor MasTec Civil with SCDOT, are announced one at a time on the city’s news page. The city has posted no new closure since Sept. 23-24, and none is on the city’s closures map this week.

Johns Island roundabout. Charleston County said the new roundabout where Main, River and Chisolm roads meet would open at 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, with River Road reopening at the same time. The county has issued no later notice. Read what changes at the roundabout.

We found no SCDOT press release this month announcing a planned lane closure on I-26, I-526 or U.S. 17 in the city. Crashes and unplanned closures on those roads show on 511.

This section is rewritten every week from city, SCDOT, county and 511 notices.

Projects under construction in the city

Charleston County’s projects under construction list includes these in the City of Charleston. The county’s Main Road Corridor, Segment A (U.S. 17 and Main Road, and Main Road from Bees Ferry Road to River Road on Johns Island) is also under construction; its Main, River and Chisolm roads roundabout was due to open Oct. 19.

Project Area What is being built
Fort Johnson Road at Camp Road James Island A compact roundabout, open to traffic since Aug. 10; sidewalks still under construction
Fort Johnson Road at Secessionville Road James Island A new traffic signal, crosswalks and turn lanes; the county said in September that signal installation would begin in October, with construction running to June 2027
Ashley Hall Road at Sam Rittenberg Boulevard West Ashley Longer turn lanes
Maybank Highway at the city golf course James Island A better crossing and sidewalks on both sides
Maybank Highway and Woodland Shores Road James Island A crosswalk and sidewalk
Oceanic Street Upper peninsula A multi-use path from the skate park

On James Island, pedestrians should keep using the detour along Seaside Lane between Dills Bluff Road and Fort Johnson Road until the Camp Road sidewalks are finished, the county said in August. Crews work there most days from 6 a.m. until dusk.

The county’s FY2026 resurfacing plan lists Fort Johnson Road and West Chester among its key roads. The county project map shows every project.

I-526 Lowcountry Corridor WEST

SCDOT’s roadway improvements page says the interstate work is expected to be built from 2029 to 2039:

  • I-526 widened by two lanes in each direction between Paul Cantrell Boulevard in West Ashley and North Rhett Avenue in North Charleston.
  • The I-26 interchange rebuilt with collector-distributor roads on all four legs.
  • At Paul Cantrell Boulevard, the entrance ramp toward North Charleston improved so drivers no longer have to merge, and the exit toward Glenn McConnell Parkway bridged over the Magwood Drive intersection.

Potholes and signals

On Sept. 16 the city said it intends to sign an agreement with SCDOT giving city crews authority to repair state-owned roads, adding a second repair crew and truck. It plans a pothole hotline in early 2027 and has secured funding to retime every traffic signal in West Ashley, the city’s announcement says. Until the hotline opens, report state road problems to SCDOT.

Main roads to watch

  • I-26, the main route between downtown and North Charleston.
  • I-526, from West Ashley across North Charleston to Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island.
  • U.S. 17, across the Ashley River bridges into West Ashley and across the Cooper River to Mount Pleasant.
  • Folly Road and Maybank Highway on James Island, and Main Road and Maybank Highway on Johns Island.

How to stay ahead

What this means for you

  • Cumberland Street between Meeting and Church streets stays closed through Oct. 30; plan around it downtown.
  • The James Island Connector closes from 5:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 31, for a run.
  • Morning high tides Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are forecast at major flood stage and could close many downtown streets; check TIDEeye before driving.
  • Expect walk closures near Hampton Park from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
  • I-526 widening is years away; James Island and Johns Island intersection work is under way now.

Related guides: getting around Charleston, hurricane prep and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check road closures in Charleston?

Dial 511 or use 511sc.org for interstates and state routes. The city’s road closures map lists permitted street closures and event closures, and the TIDEeye app shows flooded streets in real time.

When will I-526 be widened in West Ashley?

SCDOT expects to build the I-526 Lowcountry Corridor WEST improvements from 2029 to 2039, adding two lanes in each direction between Paul Cantrell Boulevard and North Rhett Avenue.

Who fixes potholes on state roads in Charleston?

SCDOT owns roughly half the roads in the city. The city said Sept. 16 it intends to sign an agreement letting its own crews repair potholes on state roads, with a pothole hotline planned for early 2027. Until then, report state road problems to SCDOT at 855-467-2368.

Why are lanes closed on U.S. 17 near the Ashley River?

The city and SCDOT close lanes overnight for construction of the Ashley River Crossing bridge, built by contractor MasTec Civil. The city announces each closure in advance.