Charleston’s 2026 capital program centers on $20 million public-safety center and $25 million riverfront connector

Charleston plans to break ground on a $20 million Public Safety Center and advance a $25 million riverfront Capital Connector project as part of its 2026 municipal investment program, Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said Jan. 5.

Goodwin outlined the plans during her 2026 State of the City address at a Charleston City Council meeting. The program also calls for $5 million in EMS and fire-station renovations and $5 million in citywide road repairs.

The announced figures identify at least $55 million in planned work across public safety, riverfront infrastructure and street maintenance. The city described the road-repair allocation as a $2 million increase from prior years.

Public safety and road work

The Public Safety Center is the largest public-safety item identified in the address, with the city planning a $20 million project and saying it intended to break ground in 2026. The reviewed city announcement does not provide a specific groundbreaking date, construction timeline or projected completion date.

Separately, the city listed $5 million for renovations to EMS and fire stations. The announcement did not specify which stations would receive work or describe the scope and schedule for individual renovations.

Road repairs are also set to rise to $5 million citywide, according to the address. City officials characterized that amount as $2 million more than in prior years. The material reviewed does not identify particular streets, paving schedules or project start dates.

Riverfront connector remains a planned project

Goodwin also said the city planned to advance the $25 million Capital Connector along the riverfront. The announcement places the connector among the city’s 2026 priorities, but it does not establish that construction has started or provide a completion timetable.

The city’s State of the City address also referenced private investment and redevelopment activity in Charleston. Those projects should not be treated as city-funded solely because they were cited alongside the municipal capital program.

What is known next

The next identified action for the Public Safety Center is a planned groundbreaking. Beyond that stated plan, the reviewed city material does not provide an updated construction status for the Public Safety Center, fire-station renovations, Capital Connector or road program.

That leaves key implementation details—including dates, project sequencing and completion schedules—to future city announcements or project records. The Jan. 5 address establishes the city’s announced 2026 priorities, rather than confirming that each project is underway, on schedule or within budget.