Credit: City of IOP
The City of Isle of Palms has received a grant of approximately $1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Program to improve flood protection on Waterway Boulevard. The island is experiencing increased occurrences of flooding due to extreme high tides, sea level rise, and more intense coastal storms. As a result of these improvements, the Waterway Boulevard Pathway will serve as a flood barrier to provide protection from tidal intrusions from the Intracoastal Waterway (north) side of the island. This project corridor extends from 21st Avenue to 41st Avenue.
The proposed pathway will also be widened and transformed from a standard sidewalk into a multi-use pathway. Additional improvements include localized drainage improvements to convey stormwater runoff captured along Waterway Boulevard under the pathway.
Additionally, there will be an installation of in-line check valves on all pipes along the corridor that discharge under the pathway to the Intracoastal Waterway. The check valves will serve to prevent tidal backflow in the drainage system and eliminate sunny day flooding as well as preserve the capacity of the drainage system.
The design and engineering of this project is 95% complete. The next step includes securing state and federal permits for construction to start at the end of 2025.
