March 2025 Lowline Update: The Ground is Moving
Reimagining Public Spaces, Together.
Spring is here, and so is construction. March was a month of real, visible progress on the Lowline, and we have a lot to catch you up on. From parking lot upgrades to pathway designs to an important e-bike ordinance heading to City Council, here is what is happening and what is coming next.
Upgrades Underway at the Parking Lots
Work began this month on improvements to three parking lots, one at Sheppard Street and two at Huger Street. Both lots are getting significant upgrades: new sidewalks, gravel and ADA-compliant parking spaces that make them more accessible and safer for everyone. If your first question is "wait, parking lots?" you are not alone! Here is why this matters:
The Lowline has always been designed to be financially self-sustaining over the long term. The revenue generated from these parking lots at Sheppard Street and Huger Street North and South will go directly back into the operations and maintenance of the park, year after year. That is not a small thing. Public parks across the country struggle with long-term maintenance funding. The Lowline's model, built from the beginning with environmental and fiscal sustainability in mind, means that the work happening on these lots right now is not just infrastructure; it is the financial foundation of a park that is meant to serve our community for generations.
What Comes Next
Looking ahead, two major activities are on the horizon. Mass grading will begin soon, the large-scale earth-moving work that shapes the corridor and prepares the ground for what is to come. Alongside that, our Voluntary Cleanup Contract will get underway, ensuring the corridor meets environmental standards before construction moves further forward. Both of these are significant steps that bring us closer to the park taking physical shape.
Design in Progress
Behind the scenes, the team has been meeting with Stitch Design Co. and Bourne Signs on signage for the Lowline. Signage is one of those details that does a lot of work quietly: it tells people where they are, connects them to the history of the corridor, and sets the tone for how the park feels to everyone who uses it. We look forward to sharing more on that front as the designs develop. Coming soon as well: concrete samples for the pathway material, so the community can see and feel what the Lowline will be underfoot.
E-Bikes, E-Scooters, and the Rules of the Road
The City's Traffic and Transportation Committee has been working hard to bring an updated ordinance to City Council that addresses e-bike and e-scooter use across Charleston. The ordinance covers what qualifies as an e-bike or e-scooter, where they can and cannot ride, and the expectations around safe and respectful operation. This is the kind of thoughtful policy work that will shape how we all experience the Lowline and the broader city for years to come.
There will be another opportunity for the public to comment ahead of the April 23rd committee meeting. Stay tuned for details on how to make your voice heard.
Fundraising Update
We are deep in conversations with corporate donors and working through the details of some significant gifts we are not quite ready to announce. April is shaping up to be a big month on the fundraising front, and we cannot wait to share the news when the time is right. If you have been waiting for the right moment to make your own gift to the Lowline, your support right now helps build the momentum that brings those larger conversations across the finish line.
Make a gift at friendsofthelowline.org.
What to look for next month: Fundraising announcements, pathway material samples, signage design updates, and more from the corridor.
