Sawmill Branch Trail – Oakbrook Extension Virtual Public Information Meeting Summary
Background
Dorchester County is proposing an extension of the Sawmill Branch Trail in Dorchester County, South Carolina. The project would add approximately 0.6 miles to the existing greenway, connecting the Oakbrook YMCA (future site of the Oakbrook Sports Complex) to the multi-use path along Dorchester Road.
The proposed trail extension will feature a 10-foot-wide paved surface that runs parallel to Sawmill Branch, utilizing the existing maintenance shelf. This enhancement is designed to improve safety and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, offering a more accessible and continuous route through the area.
Virtual Public Information Meeting
Dorchester County hosted a Virtual Public Information Meeting (VPIM) on the project website with a comment period from August 25, 2025, to September 25, 2025. An in-person meeting was not held for this project. The meeting was advertised utilizing signage added along the existing trail, newspaper advertisement, promotion on County social media channels, and a postcard mailing (approximately 1,600) to the area adjacent to the project. The virtual public meeting offered users the ability to review the project location, typical sections, proposed trail extension layout, and to make project specific comments. Approximately 1,494 visits were made to the VPIM site during the comment period, resulting in a total of 93 comments received.
Comment Summary
The majority of the comments received expressed general support for the project as proposed. Some members of the public expressed questions and/or concerns about the information presented. Below is a summary of the public’s feedback and questions raised during the comment period (ranked in order of frequency).
62 comments (69%) expressed general support for the proposed project. Aspects of general support indicated for the project included, but were noted limited to:
- Having direct access to Dorchester Road via the extended trail.
- Improving the connectivity of neighborhoods and businesses in the area.
- Health benefits of having additional trail length available for users.
- Providing a safer option for cyclists versus using roadways.
14 comments were received regarding various requested additions to the proposed trail extension with the majority inquiring about extending farther south towards Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site/Herbert H. Jessen Public Boat Landing.
12 comments were received expressing concerns related to how the trail would impact drainage and flooding in the area.
10 Comments were received regarding plans for safety features along the trail, such as lighting and emergency call boxes.
8 comments were received related to adding landscaping along the trail with specific mentions of the need for shade.
6 comments were received related to improving parking areas for the trail including both the YMCA parking area and the Dorchester Village Shopping Center.
4 comments were received requesting the installation of restrooms along the trail.
4 comments were received related to both the exclusion and allowance of motorized vehicles (golf carts).
3 comments were received regarding maintenance, related to grass cutting and removal of silt from stormwater ponds.
- Funds should be directed to other priorities (2 comments)
- Concerns about privacy along trail (2 comments)
- Request for the addition of a crossing at Dorchester Road (2 comments)
- Request to add additional recreational options along trail (2 comments)
- Request to add a connection to the Crichton Parish Subdivision (2 comments)
- Request to avoid/minimize wetland impacts (2 comments)
- Request to ensure the trail is welcoming to wheelchair users and recumbent tricyclists (1 comment)
- Request to include park benches along trail (1 comment)
- Request to replace bridge to Ashborough Subdivision (1 comment)
- Request to utilize rubber surface for trail (1 comment)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the Sawmill Branch Trail is part of a broader vision for a connected regional trail network outlined in the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Government (BCDCOG) Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The Charleston Area Transportation Study (CHATS) has awarded Dorchester County $1.25 million to support the Sawmill Branch Trail - Oakbrook Extension project, which will connect the existing greenway at Oakbrook YMCA to the multi-use path on Dorchester Road. This extension is a key segment in the long-term plan to enhance pedestrian and bicycle connectivity throughout Dorchester County and the greater Charleston region.
More information can be found here: https://bcdcog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03-LRTP-Bicycle-and-Ped-2.12.2024.pdf
Detailed stormwater modeling and studies have been completed to ensure that the project will comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and South Carolina Department of Transportation stormwater requirements. These requirements include that the proposed project will have no adverse impact to drainage and/or flooding to adjacent properties.
Dorchester county is currently exploring the addition of security cameras along the trail. Since the posted trail hours are from dawn to dusk, lighting is not included as part of the proposed improvements. The trail is within the jurisdiction of the Summerville Police Department.
The addition of landscaping such as trees or plantings along the trail is beyond the scope of the proposed improvements in this project. The project proposes a new bioretention area near the Dorchester Village Shopping Center, which will include native plantings and educational signage.
While parking improvements are not included in the project scope, parking improvements are included as part of the Oakbrook Sports Complex project that is currently under construction.
More information can be found here: https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/our-county/oakbrook-tif-district/oakbrook-sports-complex
The addition of restrooms is beyond the scope of the proposed improvements in this project.
Motorized vehicles are currently prohibited from the existing trail and will also be prohibited in the area of the trail extension.
The Town of Summerville will be responsible for the maintenance of the trail (mowing, drainage, repairs, etc.).
The project construction is funded by a Charleston Area Regional Transportation Study (CHATS) Transportation Alternative (TA) Set-Aside Grant in the amount of $1.25 million. These funds are only available for use to extend the Sawmill Branch Trail as proposed. The grant requires a local match, which further commits Dorchester County resources to this specific project. This local funding match reinforces the County’s obligation to use the funds exclusively for the trail extension as proposed.
Since the proposed trail will be located on the existing stormwater maintenance shelf along Sawmill Branch, minimal clearing is needed, which would maintain existing vegetation between the trail and residential areas.
Pedestrians would have the ability to cross Dorchester Road using the existing crossing infrastructure at one of the adjacent traffic signals. Dorchester County’s proposed Dorchester Road Improvements Project also includes improvements to the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along the Dorchester Road project corridor and at all major intersections.
More information can be found here: https://dorchestertransportation.com/all-projects-overview/dorchester-road
The project construction is funded by a Charleston Area Regional Transportation Study (CHATS) Transportation Alternative (TA) Set-Aside Grant in the amount of $1.25 million. Currently, additional funds are not available to construct elements of the project beyond what is currently proposed.
The trail extension will provide new pedestrian and bicycle connectivity from Dorchester Road to the trail system, including the Oakbrook YMCA and the future Oakbrook Sports Complex. This new access supports the County's broader goals for greenways.
At this time, a direct connection to the Crichton Parish Subdivision is not included in the scope of the Sawmill Branch Trail extension project. The project area was identified based on available funding and feasibility assessments conducted during the planning phase.
Dorchester County remains committed to exploring future opportunities to enhance connectivity throughout the trail network.
The project is being coordinated with, and permitted by, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which requires the avoidance and minimization of wetland impacts per Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
The project is designed to meet all current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
The project currently does not include the installation of park benches.
The replacement of the bridge to the Ashborough Subdivision is not part of the current project scope.
Pedestrian and bicycle access to the Ashborough Community will be available via the multi-use path along Dorchester Road. This path provides a safe and accessible route for residents to access the Sawmill Branch Trail and the larger trail network.
The project was designed to meet current South Carolina Department of Transportation design standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, which include an asphalt surface. Due to cost restraints and long-term maintenance requirements, alternate surface types were not considered for the proposed design. In addition, since the trail would be constructed on an existing maintenance shelf, the trail surface must be able to support the heavy equipment needed to maintain the Sawmill Branch Canal.