NORTH CHARLESTON, SC—SEPT. 4, 2025—SC Ports marked the opening of the new Cosgrove Avenue extension and pedestrian bridge in North Charleston, a key fixture of the Port’s Navy Base Intermodal Facility (NBIF).
The project extends Cosgrove Avenue above the Port rail yard, which will allow trains to move to and from the facility without impeding local traffic or limiting safe pedestrian access to nearby neighborhoods and businesses.
“The Navy Base Intermodal Facility is a premier project for SC Ports that will allow cargo to move more efficiently from the Port of Charleston to inland markets,” said SC Ports President and CEO Phil Padgett. “While we serve as a Port system for the entire state, SC Ports also recognizes the need to be a good neighbor and local community partner. That means providing solutions for residents who live and work right here in North Charleston.”
City of North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess, local and state leaders, and representatives from Navy Yard Charleston and Charleston Moves were in attendance to mark the celebration.
“This new gateway to Riverfront Park marks an important step in the redevelopment of the former Navy Base,” said City of North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess. “The opening of the Cosgrove Avenue overpass improves pedestrian safety, enhances mobility and connectivity, and provides residents with more convenient access to economic opportunities, recreational amenities, and future community development.”
The new overpass brings greater access to the neighboring Navy Yard Charleston development, a multi-phase redevelopment that transforms the former Charleston Naval Base into a mixed-use neighborhood, and to Navy Yard Industrial Campus, a historic waterfront facility for maritime, manufacturing, creative, and logistic operations.
“The Cosgrove Avenue extension offers a vital new access point to the historic Naval Base, linking the regional asset to the larger Charleston community and creating new opportunity for driving commerce in North Charleston,” said Steve Dudash, Navy Yard Charleston director of special projects. “Connectivity, particularly multi-modal, is the key to great placemaking, livability, and business success. This new infrastructure is pivotal to the area’s growth potential, and we commend SC Ports on the project’s completion.”
A 12-foot wide multi use path, separated by a barrier, will run along the bridge, providing safe access for pedestrians to nearby neighborhoods and attractions.
"We appreciate the thoughtfulness applied to vulnerable road users by SC Ports for this project,” said Katie Zimmerman, executive director of Charleston Moves. “It is an example of how every infrastructure project in our region should plan for and include multiple modes of transportation, safely and enjoyably connecting our industry, neighborhoods, and parks well into the future."
SC Ports also expects to complete construction on a nearby community recreation center in North Charleston’s Chicora-Cherokee Neighborhood this fall. The 15,000 square foot facility is part of SC Port’s commitment to mitigate impacts from NBIF.
About South Carolina Ports
South Carolina Ports owns and operates marine terminals at the Port of Charleston and two rail-served inland ports in Greer and Dillon. As the 8th largest U.S. container port, SC Ports connects port-dependent businesses throughout the Southeast and beyond to global markets. SC Ports proactively invests in infrastructure ahead of demand to provide reliable service, efficient operations, cargo capacity, an expansive rail network and the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet. SC Ports is a vital economic engine for South Carolina, with port operations supporting 1 in 9 jobs statewide. Learn more: scspa.com.