Lowcountry Rapid Transit

The Lowcountry is growing at three times the national average. This growth is overwhelming our transportation network and we cannot build our way out of traffic. New transit options are vital to our quality of life. A BRT system will ensure the Lowcountry remains a desirable place to live, work and play.

The project is expected to cost $625 million to construct and $5.9 million per year to operate. These totals are estimates and may change.

LCRT is partially funded through the Charleston County Sales Tax program. Part of that funding will be used to apply for matching federal grants to cover remaining construction costs.

The cost of building one mile of light rail track can pay for five-and-a-half miles of bus rapid transit lanes. This was one of a number of factors that made BRT the best solution for the Lowcountry. For more information, view the i-26ALT study by clicking the button below.

View the Study

A traditional bus operates in regular lanes, stops every few blocks and usually only has a sign and a bench at stops. BRT operates in transit-only lanes, stops every half-mile and offers enhanced stations with more amenities. For more information on BRT, click the button below.

Learn More About BRT

Yes. We are evaluating operations upgrades (like bus-only lanes) as well as safety improvements. The project will also improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure by incorporating sidewalks, shared-use paths and additional crosswalks.

A recommended route has been identified. LCRT will operate mostly in dedicated lanes between the Fairgrounds in Ladson, serving North Charleston on Rivers Avenue and connecting to the WestEdge in Downtown Charleston.

View the Route

The project team is following the federal-mandated process to advance through the Capital Investment Grants program to receive federal funding. Through coordination with FTA, the project is expected to open to the public in 2028.

Opportunities for public input are ongoing. Involvement opportunities are available at each decision-making milestone. To learn more about upcoming events and outreach efforts, click the button below.

Get Involved

LCRT will expand access to jobs, affordable housing, education and community resources. It will provide a new means of transportation and lead to economic growth in the region.

TOD is about creating communities where people can live, work, shop and play without having to travel long distances. For more details, click on the link below.

Learn More About TOD

The route was chosen over other options because it has the most riders, low operating costs, minimal railroad crossings and connects the most employment areas.

Speed and separation for bicyclists and pedestrians were challenging with this route. The City of Charleston’s vision for the Lowline is to reserve the Lowline as a public park and green space.

The FTA grants program is part of federal law. The process must be followed in order to receive grant funding.

Possibly. BCDCOG has identified a network of potential BRT areas. Among them are US Hwy 52 to Moncks Corner and Dorchester Road. In addition, the BCDCOG completed a study to identify a long-range vision for mass transit throughout the region. The Lowcountry Rapid Transit is the first of several proposed mass transit lines to serve the region. Read more about the Regional Transit Framework Plan by visiting the link below.

Read Now

Yes. There will continue to be opportunities for the public to comment on the project. Additional public meetings, events and workshops will be planned as the project moves forward.

Contact LCRT Communications and Outreach Specialist Morgan Grimes for information on how to get involved. She can be reached at morgang@bcdcog.com or at 843.529.2119 (ext. 5035).

Yes. Fill out our speaker request form by clicking the link below.

Request A Speaker

SCDOT is a critical partner in this project and plays a significant role in the planning and design of the system. In addition, SCDOT is responsible for design oversight.

Charleston County is a critical stakeholder in the development of LCRT. In November 2016, Charleston County voters passed a half-cent sales tax to fund roadway, transit and green space projects. Part of the transit funding identified in the referendum is being used for LCRT. The local funding is managed by Charleston County will be used to compete for matching federal grants. The County is also a member of the LCRT Steering Committee, which is comprised of various project stakeholders and meets regularly to review project decisions.

Charleston, North Charleston and Summerville are members of multiple project stakeholder committees. They are also members of the Steering Committee. Their role is to help guide key project decisions.

The project involves two safety studies. The first looks at road safety and crash history. The second focuses on system operation and design safety. The results of both studies will influence the final project design.

Transit-only lanes will be used in areas where space is available (such as Rivers Avenue). These lanes will be added in existing medians and will not decrease the number of travel lanes. In areas where space is limited, LCRT will operate in mixed traffic.

Approximately $2.00. The cost is projected to be the same as a one-way CARTA trip.

While the specific vehicles LCRT will use has not been chosen yet, there is a strong preference for low- or no-emission vehicles.

Yes. LCRT vehicles will have space to carry bicycles.

Approximately 20. The final locations are currently being refined.

Yes, stations will have bike racks. The project team does not anticipate having enough space for bike lockers.

In late 2019, LCRT was accepted into the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment grants program. The prep work put in over the previous years has allowed the project to be eligible to qualify for funding through the program. The FTA program requires projects to follow a clearly defined schedule with clearly defined dates, which differs from highway project schedules that are not defined by specific dates. Mandated by the FTA, this schedule is a requirement for funding eligibility.

The requested federal funding represents 60% of the project cost, or about $375 million. The anticipated local funding from Charleston County represents 40% of the project cost, or about $250 million.

LCRT is designed to address mobility issues within the project area. While it will not directly address other issues, such as flooding, regulations prevent the project from making problems worse.

The FTA grant program requires a project to work through set phases of evaluation. However, the approach to complete both the engineering and construction of a project can accelerate a schedule. The LCRT project team is evaluating the most effective approach to complete engineering and construction efficiently.

A two-year National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of the project began in late 2019. The purpose of this review is to minimize environmental impacts and ensure that the public is included in the decision-making process. The NEPA review is overseen by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). More information can be found by clicking the link below.

Learn More

The BRT system will have a recognizable brand that stands apart from local traditional bus service.

Advanced traffic signals will be used to give buses priority at stoplights, ensuring vehicles stay on schedule. Security systems, WiFi and pay kiosks will make travel more reliable. These tools will also prepare the region for autonomous vehicles and future innovations.

The Capital Investment Grants Program (CIG) is a discretionary federal grant program. This program is directed by the FTA and is highly competitive. This program will provide up to 80% of funding for major transit construction projects. CIG funds around $2 billion per year in rapid rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, bus rapid transit and ferry construction.

Suggested station areas have been identified through a series of workshops, stakeholder input and CIG testing. These areas will be further refined based on their connectivity to existing services and employment centers.

The CIG Project Rating is a score that determines whether a project is approved to move from one step to the next within the FTA’s New Starts and Core Capacity approval process. This rating is based on the project’s local financial commitment and project justification. Overall project costs, operating costs, ridership, environmental benefits, land use and affordable housing are some of the key factors used to determine this rating.

Projects require a rating of Medium or above to qualify for federal funding. The scale ranges from Low, Medium-Low, Medium, Medium-High, High.

The current projects pursuing CIG funding have requested around $30 billion in total. $12 billion of that amount includes projects with current grant agreements. There are about $18 billion outstanding funding requests across the country.

Funding is a critical piece of the puzzle in identifying a successful bus rapid transit system for implementation – 50% of the funding for this project was identified in the 2016 Charleston County Sales Tax Referendum, and the project team is currently positioning the project to secure a 50% federal funding match through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants program. The CIG program is extremely competitive and the key to having a competitive project is based on the ability to balance overall cost with ridership volumes. During the Capital Investment Grants evaluation process, the project team adjusted the northern end of line from Downtown Summerville to the Fairgrounds Exchange Park in Ladson. These decisions were made to balance costs while maximizing ridership and overall reliability for LCRT to qualify for federal funding. The project team is continuing to move forward with the LCRT project opening in 2028 and is recognizing the potential for a future project, which would extend the system from the Fairgrounds to Summerville. The project team and project leaders will continue to work with Lincolnville, Summerville, and Dorchester County officials to identify funding sources for making the extension into Summerville a reality.

Tri County Link service to Lincolnville/Summerville
The Exchange Park station at the Fairgrounds will serve as a park-and-ride hub for the LCRT system. Commuters from Summerville, Lincolnville and surrounding communities can park here to hop on LCRT. TriCounty Link bus service will connect Lincolnville and Summerville to LCRT.

Through coordination with stakeholders, an end of line was identified at Hagood and Line streets in the WestEdge development. Stations in the Medical District and WestEdge generated the highest ridership for the LCRT and improved the project's competitiveness for federal funding.

The project team also adjusted the northern end of line from Downtown Summerville to the Exchange Park in Ladson. These decisions were made to balance costs while maximizing ridership and overall reliability for LCRT to qualify for federal funding. From this base, regional rapid transit can grow and thrive.

Today, due to low transit ridership estimates in this portion of Dorchester County, LCRT would not qualify for federal funding if the project was recommended to go to downtown Summerville — but there is a way forward.

LCRT is the first step toward premium transit to Summerville. Fixed route transit connections from Summerville to an LCRT station and Park & Ride at the Fairgrounds will set the stage for a future project to connect Summerville. Project officials will continue to work with the Town of Summerville and Dorchester County to identify potential funding sources to make a future connecting project a reality. A local route will be established local transit service to extend from the Fairgrounds to Summerville to serve this area and connect to LCRT.