Chimney Sweep in Hanahan, SC

HANAHAN — A parade of emergency response vehicles and a school bus were the first to drive a newly opened mile-long stretch of Railroad Avenue, a road project recently completed after years of work.

The extension runs from Mabeline Road to Eagle Landing Boulevard, adding a two-lane roadway along the eastern side of the existing CSX rail line, with a sidewalk along one side of the road.

Though only a mile, the new stretch connects the northwest corner of the city, where several neighborhoods and Hanahan Elementary School are, to the rest of the city, said Mayor Christie Rainwater.

Prior to the extension, drivers had to take a roundabout route and cross the railroad tracks twice.

“In order to get to the Eagle Landing ... part of the city, you actually had to leave the city, cross over the railroad tracks, go to another city (North Charleston), and then go down Rivers Avenue, cross back over the railroad tracks and get back into (Hanahan),” she said. “So obviously it was inconvenient to say the least.”

It was also completed after more than two decades of delays, which ballooned the cost from a $4 million federal earmark in the 1990s to more than $20 million by the time the county broke ground on the project in 2021.

Berkeley County’s 1 percent sales tax to pay for infrastructure contributed more than $16 million to the funding.

Officials said the delays were due to a number of bureaucratic hurdles and discussions between the county, the S.C. Department of Transportation and CSX, all of which had to review and approve various aspects of the project. Funding issues contributed as well, Rainwater said — the longer other delays took, the more expensive the project became and the more time it took to secure further funding.

Town and county officials held a ribbon cutting for the road extension on March 17, with a cohort of former mayors and other public officials in attendance such as former U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, who helped secure the initial federal earmark. Officials, local emergency responders and other attendees took to the school bus and emergency vehicles to drive through a blue ribbon and up the mile of road.

Rainwater said the extension saves at least 10 minutes of driving, and that’s without traffic and train-related delays. During rush hour or when a train is stopped on the tracks, it took even longer for drivers to get to their destination.

Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb pointed out it will also help ease congestion on Rivers Avenue.

“Think about all the cars that leave Hanahan, go out on Rivers Avenue, go to the intersection of Ashley Phosphate and Rivers needlessly every single day,” he said. “Every one of those cars are now pulled off that road, so that helps regional transportation.”

It was also a public safety issue when emergency vehicles are trying to get to the northwest part of town, Rainwater said.

Though acknowledging that not all road projects take so long, attendees at the ribbon-cutting made a number of jokes about the length of time it took to complete the extension. Rainwater said one resident called her reporting that her daughter was about to graduate from high school and to ask if the student could drive it before she left for college.

“If anybody here has got a good idea on a road project that might be done in the next 30 years, let us know today before you leave so we can get it done in your lifetime,” Cribb joked.

Cribb pointed out each county has a “dinosaur” of an infrastructure project that has taken years to complete, referencing the Highway 526 in Charleston County and the Berlin G. Myers Parkway in Dorchester County. The Railroad Avenue extension has been Berkeley County’s, he said.

NORTH CHARLESTON — To continue efforts to become the Coast Guard’s “operational center of gravity” on the East Coast, officials broke ground Jan. 26 on its new $160 million campus.

This 64-acre site along the Cooper River — just south of the former naval base that closed in 1996 — will house an administration building and redesigned 1,100-foot concrete pier.

Construction is expected to begin later this year and be completed in 2026.

“This Charleston campus will have improved infrastructure that translates into more productive personnel and more efficient operations,” said Capt. Neal Armstrong, the commanding officer of facilities design and construction.

The 51,500-square-foot administration building will provide training and conference room space, and additional rooms dedicated to cutter ship support.

Sustainability is a priority, so the new facility will achieve net-zero energy usage and a net-zero carbon footprint, Armstrong said.

The current Pier November will be replaced with a pier more than three feet taller to enhance durability during coastal storms. It will provide utilities to support five national security cutters and a 90-ton crane, which is critical for dockside maintenance, Armstrong said.

During the design and construction phases nearly 60 subcontractors will support the two main contractors on the project, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and RQ Construction LLC, providing work for nearly 900 people.

Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Linda Fagan, who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony, said every Coast Guard mission begins and ends at a shore facility. When the ships are not at sea, they need a base that can provide necessary maintenance, she added.

The missions conducted at Base Charleston are vital to protecting national security and economic prosperity, Fagan said, adding that the new campus will aid in “lifesaving work,” including patrolling the waters for smuggled narcotics.

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – Berkeley County, in partnership with the City of Hanahan, will celebrate the completion of Railroad Avenue Extension in Hanahan with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. The event will take place in front of the Hanahan Recreation Center ballfields across from Mabeline Road in Hanahan.

This critical road project, which was managed by the S.C. Department of Transportation, has been in the works since the 1990s. The County celebrated the project’s groundbreaking in spring 2021.

Kiewit Infrastructure South constructed the project, which consisted of extending Railroad Avenue from Mabeline Road to Eagle Landing Boulevard and adding a two-lane roadway along the eastern side of the existing CSX rail line, with a sidewalk along one side of the road.

The project provides a safer connection between North and South Hanahan. Specifically, drivers will no longer have to enter Rivers Avenue and cross the railroad twice; and first responder vehicles will also have a better and safer access to those communities, overall improving emergency response times.

This project cost an estimated $20.1 million, including approximately $16 million from Berkeley County’s One-Cent Sales Tax Program—specifically from the referendum voters passed in 2014—and $4 million from federal funds.

“This road extension project, which has been decades in the making, is a gamechanger for the Hanahan community and public safety. We are thankful to Berkeley County voters for approving the County’s One-Cent Sales Tax referendum and to Congressman Henry Brown for securing federal funds to pay for this long-awaited infrastructure project. We are confident the result will be faster emergency response times and safer travel for all.” -Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb

“Thanks to the perseverance and hard work of so many who have passed the torch of this much needed project, we are finally celebrating the infrastructure connectivity of Hanahan through Railroad Avenue Extension. I am grateful for the collaboration of many different agencies to make this happen. Hanahan is now safer, transportation is easier, and quality of life is better.” -Hanahan Mayor Christie Rainwater

The City of Hanahan will also host a “Meet in the Street Block Party” event at 5:30 p.m. on Friday to commemorate the road project’s completion. There will be a food truck and other festivities. For more information, go HERE.

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCBD) – It was a chilly and crisp October night in the Otranto neighborhood on Monday, a perfect setting for the community’s annual Halloween decorating contest.

A walk down many of the Italian-named streets and you’ll see the sparkle of orange, green and purple lights inviting a view from passersby — but look a little closer and you’ll find skeletons running amuck and ghosts dangling in the trees high above.

While many homes in the neighborhood are beautifully decorated for the fall season, the star of the show is there along Monte Sano Drive where you’ll find home after home boasting dazzling but spooky décor.

Just past a home where Freddy Kruger himself sits off the front porch — and across from Roma Road — is a wildly haunted cemetery scene. There is much to take in with a dark creature looming over the graveyard and eye-catching creatures no matter where you turn.

At this home you will find a sign out front begging neighbors to keep Halloween a beloved holiday. “Do not let Halloween be a thing of the past,” the sign read. “Decorate, turn on your light, hand out candy … Be a community!”

It was the Judge’s Choice 1st place winner.

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A walk around the loop, enjoy the sights and sounds of inflatable ghosts and animated ghouls shouting at you from the roadway. Or a skeleton who was not able to keep anything down.

On the opposite end of Monte Sano Drive is a home you simply cannot miss. Set with a purple and green glow are myriad Halloween animatronics begging for your soul. From witches to skeletons, a giant werewolf and even the headless horseman — be sure to stop and see what this yard has to offer.

Our favorite was the green goblin and a nicely timed scare. The home won second place scariest yard.

And just across the street you’ll find large sheets of spiderweb draping portions of the yard. A frightening scarecrow and large ghosts were the setting for this home winning second place most creative.

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A short trip away down Monte Sano Court and you’ll find a home fit for Jack and Sally.

Say hello to Oogie Boogie and the gang as you walk through the pumpkin shaped door and take in the Nightmare Before Christmas themed yard including scenes from Halloween, Easter, and Christmas.

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCIV) — A Hanahan family is getting an outpouring of support after losing everything in a house fire.

A fire spread through the Stewarts' Rembert Drive home Sunday in the blink of an eye. Neighbor Mike Hinson said he dropped what he was doing to help because he knew it was right.

"Meghan was in a panic," Hinson said. "I brought the kids in, found them something to watch on TV, and made them a little snack just to kind of get their minds off stuff."

A fire gutting their home is just the latest obstacle for Meghan had Bobby Stewart.

Read more: "2 mobile homes destroyed in Colleton County fire, investigation ongoing."

Meghan fought breast cancer for five years.

Bobby is recovering from surgery.

Long-time neighbor Hinson said he had to help his fellow neighbors, remembering the support the family gave him when his wife had cancer.

"Two years ago, my wife passed away, and so many people come together for me," Hinson said. "You can't give that back. She helped my wife, Sheila, get through it the best that she could. And we did the same for her, just returning what it is that we had borrowed."

His front porch is now a sort of landing zone.

People are stopping by with bags filled with clothes and shoes for the kids, toiletries, and other items.

Read more: "Firefighter falls through floor during house fire response in downtown Charleston: CFD."

All to make life a little easier for the Stewarts.

Hinson said this is what the Hanahan community is all about.

"These people right here are the people who are doing it for the right reasons," Hinson said. "You know, it's coming from the heart. All in all, if nothing else, they feel a lot of love."

A GoFundMe for the Stewarts was created. It can be seen here.

Hanahan ... home sweet home. I regret to say I wasn’t born here. But I sure got here as fast as I could.

Growing up in Hanahan would have felt like an American dream.

However, I truly believe that not growing up here has created a deeper appreciation for where I now choose to live and raise my family. While the location is ideal and central to the Charleston region, it’s the culture and family values that I treasure most.

Throughout this year, Hanahan has been celebrating its 50th birthday. This area was populated as far back as the 1600s, and one would find plantations where homes, parks and businesses now stand.

Sir John Yeamans founded Yeamans Hall, and brothers Arthur and Edward Middleton established Otranto Plantation to name a few of the first settlers.

After Reconstruction, the Charleston region grew, and so did its needs, especially for water.

To meet that need, the Commissioners of Public Works was established and purchased the Goose Creek Reservoir.

It later developed a vast system of tunnels and a pumping station to supply potable water to the region.

In addition to being a businessman and influential leader of this time, J. Ross Hanahan was named the first chairman of the Commissioners of Public Works. Upon his departure, the pumping station was named after him, and the area became known as Hanahan.

Schools were built. Business were created. Homes were established.

In September of 1973 (only a year after North Charleston officially became a city), the city of Hanahan was officially incorporated.

The city is still known for its award-winning schools, sports and community culture.

I recently co-authored a book called “Hanahan,” released by Arcadia publishing, as a part of its Images of America series.

When we met with people to learn about how Hanahan came to be, the stories weren’t just logistical. They were personal.

Stories of jumping off the train trestle into the water, dads coming home from work from the shipyard or paper mill, students at Senior Hill, first dates at the Arcadia Rollerdrome at Port Park, fishing at Mabeline Lodge and more.

Many stories started with “One time ...” or “Back in the day ...”

While the formation of the city itself is so important, just as important are the stories of the daily experiences of the people who became the city of Hanahan.

I began by referring to Hanahan as home sweet home. Many reading this will think of a place, a location, maybe even a house.

However, those who live in Hanahan know that home sweet home means the people, because through this extraordinary community one quickly learns that home is not a place but a person, or in our case, the people who surround us.

Christie Rainwater is Mayor of Hanahan.