The Stormwater Management Director Matthew Fountain says the plan is to install a drop shaft, which is essentially a high-tech drainage system, on Ehrhardt Street. The drop shaft will help drain flood water from the medical district to the Ashley River.
South Carolina HUD plans to contribute about $10 million towards the project, and the City of Charleston would match the grant award with $4.2 million.
Fountain says accepting $10 million from the state is a major milestone in a project that’s been in the works for years.
Fountain says its important to keep the medical district from flooding because first responders with Roper St. Francis Hospital, The Medical University of South Carolina, and the Veterans Administration all use this area. He says if they aren’t able to get through the streets because of flooding, it could mean the difference between life or death.