On Monday, October 5, barriers go up along the River Landing Drive boardwalk between Fairchild Drive and Seven Farms Drive. The Daniel Island Property Owners' Association describes it as one of the island's most heavily used walking routes. Bikes, strollers and dog walks cross it every day, and years of that traffic plus coastal weather have worn it down. The repair should take about six weeks. Around the time the boardwalk reopens, work on the new roundabout at River Landing and Seven Farms Drive is scheduled to reach the circle itself.
These two projects share the same corner, and their schedules overlap. Roundabout mobilization was set for the week of September 13, followed by utility work and construction around the outside of the intersection, so that early work runs alongside the boardwalk closure. Between now and late January, the River Landing and Seven Farms intersection will have some kind of construction going on almost every week. Meanwhile, October's community calendar is spread across Smythe Park, Etiwan Park, Nowell Creek Village, the Recreation Center and Credit One Stadium. None of those events are listed on that corner. The island's fall routine keeps going, just in different places.
Two projects on one corner
The published schedules fit together like this:
- Week of September 13 onward: SCDOT was scheduled to begin mobilizing at the intersection, followed by utility work and construction around its outside edges. The September report gave this as a schedule and did not confirm that work had started.
- October 5: The River Landing Drive boardwalk closes between Fairchild Drive and Seven Farms Drive for about six weeks. The POA says weather could stretch that, and it asks walkers to stay behind the posted barriers rather than go around them.
- October 15: Last swim day at Scott Park and Edgefield Park pools. Both close for the season October 16. Pierce Park Pool stays open year-round, and swim lessons and water aerobics move there.
- Mid-November: The six-week boardwalk window runs out, weather permitting.
- Late November to early January: At the September 9 Daniel Island Neighborhood Association meeting, Berkeley County Councilman Jarrod Brooks said the roundabout itself is scheduled to take shape during these weeks.
- January 23: Final improvements are expected to wrap up, weather permitting.
Every date on the roundabout side is a projection. The schedule has moved before. A Daniel Island News story from August 2025 described a construction start that later coverage pushed back to this fall. As of early October, no local notice we found announced detour routes or specific lane-closure dates.
Why the signals are coming out
The roundabout replaces the four-way traffic lights at Seven Farms and River Landing. It was approved in Berkeley County's 2022 penny sales tax referendum. The stated goals are less congestion and delay, shorter crosswalks and better safety. In August 2025, The Daniel Island News reported 24 crashes at the intersection since 2018, five of them with injuries.
The paper's August 2026 coverage adds context. The signals back up regularly at rush hour, and I-526 ramp traffic plus pedestrians and cyclists all feed into the same intersection. The whole project is budgeted at about $3.4 million through the One Cent Sales Tax Program. Blythe Development LLC holds the county construction contract at $2,569,097.76.
Brooks spoke frankly about the months ahead at the September meeting:
"It's going to be an uncomfortable three months, and I apologize in advance for that, but all good progress has its painful ends."
The intersection will stay passable the whole time. Crews will build the outside lanes first, and officials plan to watch for drivers cutting through nearby neighborhoods and business parking lots. Earlier coverage named the cut-throughs neighbors were worried about: the route behind the condos at 254 Seven Farms Drive over to River Landing, and the large parking lot behind the office and residential building at 225 Seven Farms Drive. Brooks also mentioned a daycare that uses the intersection to reach the waterfront and the park, and said he had met with its staff. Charleston Fire Department Station 18 and Charleston Police Team Patrol 5 are less than a block away.
The shops on the one-way street
The access question with the most direct effect on local businesses is at 211 River Landing Drive. Posh Nail Lounge and the Daniel Island Barbershop are on a one-way street that currently serves as customer parking. Once the roundabout is in, a concrete median will run from the circle down Seven Farms toward Bishop England, and that would restrict access the way traffic flows today. Brooks said officials would "probably end up reversing traffic" on that street to keep the businesses accessible. He also said he didn't have many of the answers yet and expected them to be settled before contractors start. The September 15 report on the neighborhood meeting didn't include a final access plan for 211.
A few minutes' walk from the work zone, the restaurants that anchor this end of the island remain open. Mac's Daniel Island, a family-friendly sports bar and restaurant, shares 259 Seven Farms Drive with the bridal boutique White on Daniel Island. Vespa Pizza at 224 Seven Farms Drive serves wood-fired pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads and soups. The Daniel Island News counts Agave Cantina as part of the same central restaurant cluster. Farther along the water, The Kingstide runs its waterfront dining room at 32 River Landing Drive. Through the winter, getting to any of them may mean a different turn than usual. Walking is the simplest option, as long as the route doesn't depend on the closed stretch of boardwalk.
October is scheduled somewhere else
This month's community events are almost all planned for parks, lawns and venues away from the River Landing and Seven Farms corner:
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Oct. 7, 4 to 7 p.m. | Silent auction benefiting cancer research, $20 admission | Claremont Daniel Island, Farr Street |
| Sat., Oct. 10, 3 to 6:30 p.m. | Gameday on the Green, free | Nowell Creek Village, 100 Coastal Drive |
| Sat., Oct. 17, 7 p.m. | The Red Clay Strays, Grateful Tour, with The Revivalist and Haley Reinhart | Credit One Stadium |
| Sun., Oct. 18, noon to 4 p.m. | Lowcountry Buddy Walk, one-mile walk at 3 p.m. | Etiwan Park |
| Tue., Oct. 20, 5:30 to 7 p.m. | Daniel Island & Cainhoy State of Our City | Daniel Island Recreation Center |
| Fri., Oct. 23, 8 p.m. | Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds | Credit One Stadium |
| Sun., Oct. 25, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. | Pumpkin Walk & Halloween Bash, free | Smythe Park, 2394 Daniel Island Drive |
| Mon., Oct. 26 | The Swing charity event | Daniel Island Club |
| Fri., Oct. 30, 6 to 10:30 p.m. | 5th Annual Palmetto Freedom Fest, Chris Janson headlining | The Grand Lawn at Credit One Stadium |
A few of these come with details worth knowing ahead of time. The Pumpkin Walk lines the lake path at Smythe Park with pumpkins and adds games, activities and food trucks. Gameday on the Green puts college football on a big screen with lawn games, food, drinks and giveaways. Registration for The Swing, which combines golf, tennis, pickleball, food and a live auction, opens Monday, October 5, at 7 a.m. The POA lists Palmetto Freedom Fest tickets from $250 to $950. As of the stadium's late-September homepage, the two October concerts were the only upcoming stadium events listed, and no November dates had been posted yet.
So the month's biggest gatherings sit away from the two construction projects. The construction is concentrated on one corner while the social calendar is spread across the island.
Waterfront parking is a separate issue
The corner's pressure doesn't stop when the roundabout is done. At the same September 9 meeting, DINA President Nick Kalkas presented a 50-day parking study prompted by plans to redevelop the privately owned gravel lot near the waterfront into a boutique hotel. Volunteers counted 332 publicly available spaces within a quarter mile of Waterfront Park, not counting the gravel lot's 107. Kalkas said typical weekday and weekend demand can be handled without that lot. During major events like the Acoustic Guitar Series or the Charleston Charity Duck Race, demand already exceeds supply, and he named Friday and Saturday evenings as a likely next pinch point as the area grows.
Mayor William Cogswell suggested one possible relief valve, a public pier near the Daniel Island Recreation Center. It would give visitors another waterfront destination tied to existing trails and parking. That idea, the roundabout timeline and the 211 River Landing access plan are all fair questions for the October 20 State of Our City stop at the Recreation Center. The City of Charleston is inviting residents there to hear about area projects and ask local leaders questions directly.
Until the January 23 finish date, the practical approach is straightforward. Swim at Pierce Park after mid-October. Expect the River Landing boardwalk to be fenced until roughly mid-November. Allow extra time at Seven Farms through the holidays, and for October's events, head to Smythe Park, Etiwan Park, Nowell Creek Village and the stadium lawn.
If you own a home near the River Landing corner and want to know how a season of construction factors into your plans, Amy Bolan can walk through the timeline with you and give you a free Charleston home valuation that reflects what's actually happening on your street.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
