Public Meeting #1 Summary
Miles Jamison Road
Public Meeting Summary
Overview
An in-person Public Information Meeting (PIM) was held for the Miles Jamison Road Improvements Project on November 6, 2025, from 5 -7 PM at Eugene Sires Elementary School in Summerville, South Carolina. A total of 213 people attended the meeting. In addition, a project specific website was hosted at dorchestertransportation.com/all-projects-overview/miles-jamison-road, allowing individuals to review materials and provide input at their convenience, thereby expanding access for those unable to attend in person.
Upon arrival, attendees were asked to sign in and received a project handout outlining the project purpose, proposed improvements, anticipated schedule, and instructions for submitting comments. Dorchester County staff and their representatives were stationed throughout the meeting room. Five display boards were arranged in stations around the perimeter of the room, showcasing the project location, environmental and community resources, project development process and schedule, project improvements, existing and future traffic, and alternative concepts. In addition, roll plots were displayed showcasing the design alternatives.
The public was invited to submit comments or questions via the project website, mail, or in person at the PIM. A total of 131 comments were received during the comment period from November 6, 2025, through December 6, 2025. Of these, 49 expressed a preference for Alternative 1 (5-lane widening), 45 preferred Alternative 2 (3-lane widening), 21 indicated a preference for a “no-build” option, 7 expressed no preference, and 9 did not respond to the question.
Miles Jamison Improvements
Dorchester County proposes roadway widening and improvements along Miles Jamison Road from Old Trolley Road to Ladson Road. The Project Study Area (PSA) extends along Miles Jamison Road for approximately 3.3 miles through the Town of Summerville, SC. Two alternatives are being evaluated:
- Alternative 1: 5-Lanes from Old Trolley Road to Ladson Road
- Alternative 2: 3-Lanes from Old Trolley Road to Ladson Road
Both alternatives propose asymmetrical widening to minimize impacts throughout the corridor. The proposed alternatives also included curb and gutter, enclosed drainage, shared-use path, sidewalk, and associated intersection improvements.
Summary of Public Comments Received
This section provides a general overview of the public comments received during the public comment period from November 6 to December 6, 2025.
Miles Jamison Road Alternative 1 (5-Lane Widening)
Support
- Increased Capacity: Reduces congestion during peak hours.
- Long-Term Solution: Designed to accommodate projected traffic volumes over time.
Concerns
- Property Impacts: Requires more right-of-way, resulting in greater impacts to private property including relocations. Resident concerns about affordability and increased property taxes after construction is complete.
- Community Impact: Larger construction footprint with concerns about increased traffic noise and changes to neighborhood character.
Miles Jamison Road Alternative 2 (3-Lane Widening)
Support
- Lower Impacts: Slightly reduced property and environmental impacts compared with the 5-lane option.
- Cost-Effective: Lower overall project cost and perceived as sufficient for current traffic needs.
- Neighborhood Character: Maintains a more residential feel and may help reduce vehicle speeds.
Concerns
- Short-Term Solution: May not fully accommodate future traffic growth.
- Safety: Risk of continued congestion and related safety concerns, particularly at intersections and near schools.
Traffic Congestion & Safety
Residents consistently voiced concerns about congestion and safety throughout the corridor, citing unsafe vehicle passing, inability to turn onto Miles Jamison Road from side streets, and frequent accidents. Continuous growth in the area is a strong concern for many residents.
- Congestion: Widespread concern about existing congestion, especially during school and peak commute hours.
- Intersections: Residents frequently mentioned difficulty making left turns and the need for dedicated turn lanes or signals. Intersections of specific concern included Judith Drive, Gahagan Road, Beverly Drive, and the entrance to Southern Palms.
- Access Impacts: Potential impacts to driveway access and turning movements were highlighted, including limited ability to turn onto or off of Miles Jamison Road, reduced access to homes and businesses, and the need to maintain safe ingress and egress during and after construction.
- Safety: Concerns were raised about pedestrian and cyclist safety, particularly with the addition of more lanes and potential for higher vehicle speeds.
- School-Related Safety: Safety concerns were expressed regarding nearby schools, especially Eugene Sires Elementary. Residents emphasized the importance of safe pedestrian and bicycle facilities for students and requested that school traffic patterns be considered in the project design.
- Mixed opinions on solution: Opinions varied on the appropriate approach to address traffic issues. Some residents supported a full 5-lane widening to accommodate future growth, while others suggested targeted improvements, such as intersection upgrades, dedicated turn lanes, signal timing adjustments, or access management strategies as a hybrid approach to balance traffic needs with minimizing property and community impacts.
Property & Community Impacts
Residents voiced concern over community impacts on homes, businesses, and overall community character. Relocations associated with either alternative could result in major changes to land use, including the potential loss of a long-established residential strip. Many residents expressed feelings of being overlooked or not fully considered in County decision-making, particularly those at risk of losing their homes.
- Property Impacts: Residents expressed concern over potential home and business displacement, especially among long-term, elderly, disabled, and low-income residents. Several asked if the project had considered shifting the roadway towards the Coastal Center land to reduce property impacts.
- Property value: Concerns were raised that project-related changes could increase property values along the corridor and, consequently, property taxes.
- Character: Residents emphasized the desire to maintain the residential feel of the area and avoid a “highway” character.
- Construction: Concerns were expressed regarding construction duration, temporary traffic disruptions, limited access to driveways and businesses, and the need for clear construction phasing. Many residents requested advance notice of construction schedules and mitigation measures to minimize daily life impacts.
- Communication: Residents requested early communication, clear information on the right of way acquisition process, fair compensation, and updates on subsequent public meetings.
Sidewalks & Shared-Use Paths
Strong support for adding sidewalks and shared-use paths for walking and biking. Some residents suggested limiting sidewalks to one side of the road as a way to reduce impacts on private property.
Drainage & Flooding
- Flood-Prone Areas: Several residents noted existing flooding issues along Fault Line Drive, Eagle Creek, at the Miles Jamison Road/Chandler Creek Road roundabout, and in the North Trident Baptist Parking lot, and emphasized the need for improved stormwater management along the corridor.
- Stormwater Infrastructure: Many comments requested that drainage improvements be coordinated with adjacent streets to ensure overall effectiveness.
- Retention Ponds: Residents had questions regarding the location and design of new retention ponds along the corridor.
- Culverts and Turn Lane Drainage: There were requests for improvements to culvert sizing and drainage near right-turn lanes, particularly at Gahagan Road and Southern Palms, to reduce localized flooding.
Environmental
- Tree Preservation: Many residents expressed concern over the removal of mature trees, with particular emphasis on preserving large, historic live oaks.
- Wildlife Protection: Some comments highlighted the importance of protecting bat populations that roost in culverts and under bridges along Miles Jamison Road.
- Wetlands: Residents expressed a desire to preserve nearby wetlands for their role in storing surface water and reducing storm-related flooding.
Noise
- Construction Noise: Residents expressed concern about disruptions to daily life during construction and requested clear construction schedules along with measures to minimize impacts.
- Post-Construction Noise: Some residents raised concerns that road widening could increase long-term noise levels in residential areas.
Utilities
- Power Lines: Residents inquired whether existing overhead power lines would be relocated underground and whether any service disruptions are expected.
- Sewer Lines: Questions were raised about the installation or extension of sewer infrastructure along the project corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
- Alternative 1 includes widening to 5 Lanes from Old Trolley Road to Ladson Road
- Alternative 2 includes widening to 3 Lanes from Old Trolley Road to Ladson Road
- Both alternatives include curb and gutter, a 12-foot wide shared use path, a 15-foot wide two-way left turn lane, a 5-foot wide sidewalk, and associated intersection improvements.
- Construction is anticipated to begin mid-2029 and take approximately 3 years to complete.
- Residents and businesses will be notified of major changes or disruptions through project communications, public notices, and/or posted signage. Construction phasing and traffic impacts will be shared in advance to help minimize disruption.
- No off-site detours are anticipated during construction. Temporary lane closures may be utilized throughout the construction phase.
- The general project limits were identified during development of the Dorchester County Transportation Sales Tax referendum and further refined through completion of the project-specific traffic study and conceptual design alternatives. More information can be found here: dorchestertransportation.com/about
- Improvements along Old Trolley Road and Ladson Road as a method to alleviate congestion on Miles Jamison is not included in the project, however, the County’s project to realign Stallsville Loop is anticipated to reduce congestion along Old Trolley Road. More information about the Stallsville Loop project can be found here: dorchestertransportation.com/all-projects-overview/stallsville-loop
Traffic Congestion
- Yes. The traffic analysis shows that without improvements, key intersections, including Miles Jamison Road at Old Trolley Road, Miles Jamison Road at Gahagan Road, Miles Jamison Road at Beverly Drive, and Miles Jamison Road at Ladson Road, are projected to exceed their capacity and operate in failing conditions by 2050. See table of Traffic Data here: https://dorchestertransportation.com/application/files/5317/6235/7873/4._Traffic_Data_MJrd.pdf
- The 3-lane and 5-lane widening alternatives being considered are designed to improve traffic flow and are expected to enhance performance at major intersections within the project area.
Intersection Improvements
- The decision not to propose additional roundabouts or traffic signals at this time is based on traffic volumes, safety performance, delay reduction, and long-term operational efficiency. Current traffic analyses indicate that new traffic signals or roundabouts are not warranted as part of the Miles Jamison Road Improvements Project.
- Existing traffic controls, including the signals at Gahagan Road and Beverly Drive and the roundabout at Chandler Creek Road, are included in the proposed design improvements and will be reconstructed as part of the project.
- Yes. Dedicated right-turn lanes are proposed at key intersections along Miles Jamison Road, including eastbound at Braly Drive, Beverly Drive, and Ladson Road, and westbound at Alwyn Boulevard, Middlesboro Avenue, Judith Drive, Gahagan Road, and Old Trolley Road. In addition, a continuous two-way left-turn lane is proposed along the Miles Jamison Road corridor. These turn lanes are intended to reduce congestion and improve safety by separating turning vehicles from through traffic.
- Yes, adequate sight distance based on the roadway design speed will be provided as part of the project.
Shared Use Path (SUP)
- A SUP is a separated path designed for both bicyclists and pedestrians, offering a wide, physically separated space that supports two-way, non-motorized travel.
- A dedicated bike lane is a space in the roadway designed for bicycle use only. It typically runs in the same direction as vehicle traffic and is separated by paint or flexible posts.
- Dedicated bike lanes are not included in this project as bicyclists are accommodated with the shared use path.
- The typical section and the placement of the SUP on one side of the roadway was proposed during project development to balance impacts to adjacent properties, improve safety, and enhance bike and pedestrian connectivity. Typically, a sidewalk is proposed on the side opposite of a SUP to provide intermittent connectivity of pedestrians between crossing points. A SUP is only needed on one side of the road since it is designed to accommodate two-way traffic.
- No. SUPs are designed for non-motorized users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. ATVs, golf carts, and other motorized vehicles are not permitted.
Safety
- The design includes dedicated turn lanes which reduce the risk for rear-end collisions.
- The design includes a curb and gutter on the outside of the roadway, which has been found to slow traffic compared to the open-shoulder condition that exists today.
- The shared use path included in the project will provide separation from vehicle traffic and support safe two-way travel for pedestrians and cyclists.
- The project team will coordinate closely with local emergency services throughout construction to ensure that emergency access is maintained at all times.
- Construction phasing and detours will be planned to minimize disruptions to response times and critical access routes.
Drainage & Flooding
- Yes. The project team has reviewed existing drainage and will address stormwater conveyance within the right-of-way, including new grading to direct water to new and existing drainage infrastructure.
- The proposed stormwater management improvements include using open channels, new drainage pipes, and the addition of curb and gutter.
Environmental
- The County is committed to preserving grand trees and maintaining natural buffers wherever feasible; however, some trees and vegetation may need to be removed within the construction limits. Any trees removed as part of the roadway construction will be mitigated in accordance with Dorchester County and Town of Summerville Tree Ordinances.
Noise
- A noise analysis is currently being conducted in accordance with applicable federal and state guidelines to determine whether the project will result in increased traffic noise for adjacent development.
- Additional information will be shared once the analysis is complete.
Utilities
- The current project does not include relocating overhead power underground. Relocation decisions and costs related to taking overhead power underground will be the responsibility of the utility owner and assessed through the Utility Coordination process.
- Impacts to septic systems will be evaluated as the project develops to determine how sewer can be provided to these properties.
Right of Way
- In some areas, ROW acquisition will be necessary to accommodate the proposed improvements. The County is committed to minimizing impacts to private property wherever possible.
- If your property is affected, you will be contacted directly by a member of the ROW team to discuss the specifics.
- Property owners are entitled to just and fair market value compensation in accordance with state and federal laws. More information about the right of way acquisition process can be found here: dorchestertransportation.com/about
- The project will not result in changes to the property tax rates.
- No rezoning is proposed as part of the project.