Beaufort’s Boundary Street work enters ‘most disruptive’ phase. Here’s what that means for drivers

Lane closures and more traffic congestion than usual should be expected along Boundary Street in Beaufort while the center median is under construction over the next several weeks, the city announced Tuesday.

This portion of the work will be “the most disruptive part of the Boundary Street Project” and is expected to last about six weeks, according to an update on the project from City of Beaufort Director of Public Projects and Facilities Neal Pugliese. Drivers are encouraged to leave 15 minutes earlier than normal if Boundary Street is part of their route.

There will be daytime and overnight lane closures in two of the four sections being worked on, a map provided by the city showed.

The lane closures will be:

▪  From 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Nov. 2, approximately between Neil Road and the Holiday Inn for grading and asphalt work.

▪  From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Nov. 3, approximately between Beaufort Towne Center and Hogarth Street for concrete curb work in the median.

Concrete work will begin anywhere along Boundary Street where the median has been dug up, Pugliese said Tuesday evening.

“While highly disruptive, this is a necessary element of the Boundary Street construction project given regulatory and environmental constraints and restraints,” Pugliese wrote in the update.

For the next six weeks, travel on Boundary Street will not be pleasant. After that, Pugliese said the traffic should be a good deal improved, and the city will be over “the biggest hump of the project.”

“This is an extremely complex project,” he said, but noted it’s still on schedule and on budget. “(In the updates) I try to be honest and forthright with the public. ... I don’t want to sugarcoat things.”

Sidewalk, curbs and driveway concrete work will continue as will underground utility work, according to the update. The boardwalk near the former Applebee’s is finished.

Motorists are encouraged to use extra caution in the work zones. The project has not had any major safety incidents so far, Pugliese said.

For more information on the Boundary Street project, visit www.cityofbeaufort.org/boundary-street.aspx.

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 6:33 PM with the headline "Beaufort’s Boundary Street work enters ‘most disruptive’ phase. Here’s what that means for drivers."