CHERAW, South Carolina – The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) and the Town of Cheraw are pleased to begin construction on the Town of Cheraw Stormwater Infrastructure project. Following a notice to proceed issued on August 3rd, construction crews will begin mobilization in the project areas during the week of August 10th. 

Work will begin on the Second Street portion of the project, which spans roughly from its intersection with Third Street to its intersection with Powe Street. Work for the drainage improvements for the Washington/RR area will be installed along Front and Church Streets near the intersections with Second Street and Third Street.

The Town of Cheraw’s stormwater infrastructure has undergone significant damage because of major storms including Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018. High priority flooding areas and projects are identified in the 2020 Town of Cheraw Stormwater Master Plan, and this project begins implementing the series of solutions developed in the plan.

Pipes and drainage structures within existing stormwater systems in flood-prone areas will be increased to better manage current and future rain events, and reduce flooding within areas of concern.

“When the Town of Cheraw applied for funding to roll out these stormwater improvements, almost two thirds of the Town was low to moderate income,” explains South Carolina Chief Resilience Officer, Ben Duncan. “This puts a large financial burden on the individuals and families who have repeatedly worked to repair or even replace their homes following major storms. The project even goes beyond just providing flood risk reduction for individual properties—we also expect to see less delays and interruptions to critical services during future hazard events such as Emergency Medical Services and Fire.”

SCOR awarded the Town of Cheraw about $7.9 million for the Second Street project and $7.8 million for the Washington & Railroad project. This funding comes from SCOR’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) program. The award covers engineering, design, permitting, and construction for both projects.

“This project recognizes that existing drainage infrastructure cannot adequately mitigate the flood hazards that Cheraw faces,” states Representative Jason Luck (District 54). “These upgrades and improvements to the town’s drainage system are encouraging—they show a commitment to using the knowledge and lessons learned from past storms to anticipate the impacts of future disasters and reduce their impacts. I look forward to seeing the positive effects of these infrastructure improvements and I commend the community for undertaking this critical project.”

Senator JD Chaplin (District 29) also comments, “The community in Cheraw has endured significant disasters, including major storms such as Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. We have known that proactive steps need to be taken to lessen the impact of future natural hazards on our people, their property, and our economy. Projects like this are a step toward improving our resilience and I am proud to see them coming to fruition.”

Please be patient as we work through extended road closures, changing traffic patterns, and potential traffic inconveniences associated with construction. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve the area and create a better community for everyone. Construction is currently scheduled to reach substantial completion by Summer 2027.

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About SCOR

The South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) is committed to enhancing the state's ability to anticipate, absorb, recover, and thrive when presented with environmental changes and natural hazards by planning and coordinating statewide resilience, long-term disaster recovery, and hazard mitigation. In addition to serving over 3,460 homes in our Disaster Recovery Program, SCOR has 86 active flood mitigation projects, including voluntary buyouts, stormwater infrastructure, and plans and studies, across the State. SCOR continues to implement and maintain the Strategic Statewide Resilience and Risk Reduction Plan, which provides a framework to guide investment in projects, programs, and policies to protect the people and property of South Carolina from the damage and destruction of extreme weather events.