Cars have used James Island's new roundabout at Fort Johnson Road and Camp Road since August 10. People on foot were sent around it on Seaside Lane. That same order shows up across the island this fall. The work that serves drivers finished first. The sidewalks, the bike lanes and the path along Folly Road are still on their way. The one place you can already walk somewhere new is a former Civil War earthwork on the Stono River that had been in private hands for decades.
Here is where each piece stands as of early October 2026, and what changes for you if you drive, walk or bike these roads.
The roundabout is finished for drivers
Charleston County's release dated September 24, 2026 says the roundabout at Fort Johnson Road and Camp Road is complete, along with all drainage work and utility relocations, and that crews are installing signs. The County calls the design a "traversable urban compact roundabout," built to handle a mix of vehicle types. Plans for it also include sidewalks, ramps, crosswalks and refuge areas. The center was kept bare on purpose. The County says there will be no landscaping so larger vehicles can get through the tight circle safely.
The County's project page explains why the intersection was rebuilt. Fort Johnson Road at Camp Road had 38 accidents over a five-year period, and the County, the City of Charleston, the Town of James Island and SCDOT each listed the fix as a priority.
The walking side is less settled. On August 13, the project page said crews planned to finish stormwater drainage, install sidewalks and curb, and complete asphalt paving within the next two months. Two months from August 13 is mid-October. The September 24 release confirms the drainage is done. It doesn't say whether the sidewalks have reopened. The most recent pedestrian guidance we could find is still the August 7 notice, which sends walkers along Seaside Lane between Dills Bluff Road and Fort Johnson Road until the sidewalk work is finished. If you walk this stretch, check the posted signs before assuming either route is open.
| Project | Finished for drivers | Pedestrian and bike pieces | Next milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Johnson Rd at Camp Rd | Roundabout open since Aug. 10; drainage and utilities complete | Sidewalks, ramps, crosswalks planned; reopening unconfirmed | Signage now; sidewalks and curb were targeted for mid-October |
| Fort Johnson Rd at Secessionville Rd | Curb and gutter poured; utilities relocated | Crosswalks, refuge areas and pedestrian signals included | Signal installation expected to begin in October |
| Folly Road, Ellis Creek to Wilton St | Resurfacing included | About 7,000 feet of new path; 7- and 8-foot sidewalks; wider bike lanes | Contract approved Aug. 27; no start date found |
The Secessionville signal brings the crosswalks
The second half of the County's Fort Johnson Road project is a mile or so of the same pattern. At Secessionville Road, the intersection is being upgraded to a traffic signal with dedicated turn lanes, crosswalks, pedestrian refuge areas and pedestrian signals. Curb and gutter are poured, utility relocation is done, and signal installation is expected to begin this month.
That puts October in the middle of the job. The County projects construction on the two intersections will continue until June 2027. Both are paid for by the 2016 Transportation Sales Tax referendum. The project team holds quarterly public meetings. The latest was September 29 at James Island Town Hall, 1122 Dills Bluff Road, and more are planned until the work is done. If you'd rather ask the engineers directly than piece together the sign changes, those meetings are the place to do it.
Two stone posts are waiting to come back
One piece of the Camp Road intersection isn't there right now. The stone posts at the entrance to Stone Post Road went up in 1926 at the entrance to the Agricultural Society of South Carolina's tract on James Island. They honor the society's early agricultural research center and its former president, Arnold G. Stoney. A car accident damaged the east post in 1998, and the damaged sections were repaired.
A County construction update from March 2026 says the posts were moved offsite temporarily during the work. The State Historic Preservation Office agreed they aren't eligible for the National Register. The County says it values them anyway and plans to reset them within the new right-of-way. This year marks their 100th, and for now the intersection named after them doesn't have them.
Folly Road's path has a contract and is waiting on a start date
The longer project is on Folly Road. On August 27, 2026, Charleston County Council approved the construction contract for Phase 1 of the Rethink Folly improvements, which runs from about Ellis Creek to Wilton Street. Live 5 reported that the segment covers nearly two miles. It adds about 7,000 feet of new path and 7- and 8-foot sidewalks, resurfaces the road to make room for wider bike lanes, and paints green markings at intersections where bikes and cars cross.
The $6.3 million project is paid for by the transportation sales tax, federal dollars, and contributions from the City of Charleston and the Town of James Island. Before the vote, Live 5 reported that crews could break ground within a couple of months after funding and contract approval. Its report didn't give a firm date, and we couldn't find a start date or lane-closure schedule published since the vote. Until then, SCDOT has committed to quarterly maintenance of Folly Road, including sweeping the bike lanes, clearing drains and trimming back vegetation.
The walking project that's already open is on the Stono
The new space you can already walk is at the far western edge of the island. Fort Pemberton Park, at 221 Yates Avenue in Riverland Terrace, has been open daily since July. The City of Charleston held its official ribbon-cutting on Thursday, September 17.
The 8.7-acre property on the Stono River started as a Civil War-era earthwork fort built to protect Wappoo Creek. It later became farmland and then spent decades as private property. It now has a fishing dock, a kayak launch, walking paths and a picnic shelter. Separate ADA-accessible entrances on each side lead to the upper fort area and the lower waterfront.
"For the first time, this waterfront is open to the public," Mayor Cogswell said at the ribbon-cutting. "This property sat behind private hands for decades, and now every resident and visitor can walk it, fish off the dock, or just take in the view of the Stono River."
The City bought the land in 2019 with help from Charleston County Greenbelt Program funds. Partners included the former owner, Peter Evans, the South Carolina Conservation Bank, The Conservation Fund, the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust and the Charleston Parks Conservancy. It took seven years from purchase to ribbon, which is about the pace the Fort Johnson and Folly Road projects are keeping.
A new Camp Road restaurant, also opening on its own timeline
Camp Road also has a new restaurant coming, though its opening date isn't set yet. Char House Social is planned for 1234 Camp Road. That space was previously home to Smoky Oak Taproom, Dills & Camp Sundries and Smoky Yolk Cafe. The owners are Josh and Katie Drewry, who run The Harlow, the burgers-and-oysters spot at 1015 Harbor View Road. Brett Riley, The Harlow's executive chef, will lead the new kitchen.
The concept is a casual, Texas- and Southwestern-style neighborhood steakhouse and bar. Plans include patios, TVs at the bar for sports, live music and an outdoor area called The Yard. The dishes announced so far are steak cuts, a burger, a loaded baked potato and something called the Tumbleweed Onion. The restaurant won't take reservations, though large parties can call ahead. Drewry told WhatNow the menu will also include grilled chicken, grilled fish, and Texas-style chili and queso. WhatNow reported in late August that the team was aiming for an October opening. As of October 5, we couldn't confirm an opening date or hours.
A few blocks away, Edison at 1014 Fort Johnson Road says it's in its 10th year on James Island and serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m. Over on Maybank Highway, Five Guys has filed permits and started hiring for a location at 1739 Maybank Highway, Suite V, in James Island Center. No opening date has been given.
Dates on the calendar this fall
These events are within a short drive of the corridors above, and several are close enough to walk from the Town Hall end of the detour.
- October 16, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wee Wild Ones: Web Makers at James Island County Park, with spider- and web-themed activities for young children.
- October 17. PoHo Night Market at The Charleston Pour House, 1977 Maybank Highway.
- October 24, 3:30 to 8 p.m. Coastal Harvest Church's Trunk or Treat at Town Hall.
- October 29. Dock Discovery, a paid, naturalist-led look at the marsh life around the county park's fishing dock.
- October 30. "Charleston's Lost Caribbean Flavor," a foodways program at McLeod Plantation Historic Site, 325 Country Club Drive. That evening, World Music Cafe runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at Town Hall.
- November 6, 6 to 9 p.m. The Town Market returns. It runs on first Fridays through December 4.
- November 11 and 12, 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. The Holiday Festival of Lights Fun Run & Walk offers a two-mile sneak peek before the lights open to the public.
- November 13 through December 31, 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly. The Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive. A Very Merry Oyster Roast follows on November 14. Its $65 ticket includes oysters, food, drinks, music from the Rosemead Ramblers and admission to the lights.
A rebuilt intersection, a new path and a new park all change how a part of the island gets used day to day, and those changes tend to show up later in what nearby homes are worth and how buyers see them. If you live near Fort Johnson Road, Camp Road or Folly Road and want to know how this work fits into your home's value, Lori Petersen can walk you through it. Start with a free valuation.
