Ashley River Crossing, the long-awaited bike-pedestrian bridge spanning the Ashley River between downtown Charleston’s hospital district and West Ashley, is getting closer to completion, with elements starting to appear over the water.
“It has felt excellent,” said Charleston City Council member Ben D’Allesandro, whose district includes the downtown end of the new bridge. “It’s a major project, and I know city staff has been keeping a careful eye on the project and making sure it’s moving along in a timely manner and staying on schedule.”
And it is. With construction well underway, the project is still on track for completion in summer 2027, as planned.
“It’s great seeing this long-awaited project making huge strides,” said Councilman Ross Appel, whose district includes the West Ashley end of the bridge. “We are on schedule and on budget. Soon, our constituents will be connected like never before.”
The bridge will directly tie the West Ashley Greenway, Maryville Bikeway and the downtown Medical District. It will also be relatively short and flat, making it easier — and safer — to walk and bike across. Mobility advocates and city leaders are expecting a high volume of users.
The bridge also features a modified plan that includes an elevated landing pad and pedestrian roundabout that connects to Brittlebank Park and Bee Street, an Ashley River viewing platform, a cable-stayed, swing-span design and a safe slip lane intersection on the downtown side.
D’Allesandro said while the bridge connects key high-traffic areas of the city, the entire region stands to benefit from the project.
“It shows that we are a forward-thinking people and that we care about health and want to promote alternative modes of transportation — not to mention being more connected to our environment,” he said. “The entire region and city are going to benefit tremendously from this bridge.”
The project went through several iterations and design phases, sitting in development limbo for years. Construction began in January 2025. Since its groundbreaking, however, progress has moved quickly.
The Ashley River Crossing project is estimated to cost around $90 million when completed. That includes the cost of the bridge, as well as upgrades to surrounding intersections to improve safety for bikers and pedestrians getting on and off the bridge.
The project is largely federally funded, with the city of Charleston, Charleston County, the state of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina also contributing.
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