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James Island council opposes SCDOT medians on Folly Road, asks for traffic signal at Santee
Summary
Council approved Resolution 2026-01 to oppose proposed medians on Folly Road and formally request SCDOT consider a traffic signal at Santee, following debate over safety benefits, business impacts and emergency response concerns.
The Town of James Island council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-01 on Jan. 15, formally opposing SCDOT-proposed medians on Folly Road while urging study of a signal at Santee Street. The measure, advanced as a statement of local concern, passed after council members debated SCDOT's claimed safety benefits and raised worries about pushed traffic, effects on nearby businesses and potential increased emergency-response times.
Council members cited neighborhood impacts and local observations of frequent accidents. "This is bad for our businesses and bad for the people that live in Bayfront and Centerville," one councilmember said, noting commercial frontage would be diverted into residential streets. Others emphasized Folly Road's high crash history and the need for more options; a stoplight at Santee was repeatedly raised as an alternative. Council members discussed petitions and elevated advocacy — including state representatives — as possible next steps to persuade DOT. Mayor Brook Lyon said the resolution is meant to spur more conversation and get SCDOT to re-examine alternatives; the motion carried by unanimous roll-call vote.
