Beaufort’s Waterfront Park project is moving into its next phase—and while engineers and city officials debate structural options, the most important voice in the process remains that of the community. On September 24th, City Council held a special worksession with the Waterfront Advisory Committee (WAC), centered on narrowing down potential design alternatives for the park’s relieving platform. As the engineers were sent back to create designs and cost estimates for the desired alternatives, the committee is preparing to send out an online public survey in the coming weeks before scheduling a formal public charrette.
Phase 1A, which focused on data collection and structural assessment, has been completed. The project is now in Phase 1B, final data collection and modelling, and Phase 2, where engineers and committee members evaluate potential options for rebuilding or replacing the Waterfront’s relieving platform. As McSweeney Engineering’s Chris Mack explained, the goal is to “build what we need today to a higher level of protection, and have adaptive capacity to raise the crest elevation in the future.”
In his presentation, Bill Barna, of McSweeny Engineers and Project Manager for the Waterfront Park Relieving Platform Consulting Services, provided the following options to Council and Committee members:
- Do nothing
- Repair structure
- Replace the backfill with lighter material
- Rebuild a same size and shape platform
- Rebuild to a smaller size (width)
- Replace with seawall and backfill
- Replace with floating structures
- Hybrid Structure
City Council and WAC members generally agreed that the project should stay within the park’s current footprint to avoid overexpansion and preserve the open views of the river. After a lengthy discussion, Options 4, 6, and 8 emerged as the leading contenders. Option 6—the replacement of the relieving platform with a seawall and backfill—was presented as the overall preferred option, with Barna citing the recently completed Lower Battery seawall and promenade in Charleston as an example of what could be achieved in Beaufort. During the latest WAC meeting on October 6th, the engineering team reported that preliminary designs and cost estimates for these alternatives are underway, and will be available for review in the coming months.
In the meantime, the WAC decided to create an online survey to gauge the public’s opinion. Questions on the survey will cater to all stakeholders—business and property owners, city residents, and people in the area who visit the Waterfront Park—and will be a critical step in preparing for a formal public charrette. One of the most significant questions will ask whether Beaufort wants to accommodate cruise ships and large vessels (i.e.,shrimp boats) at the Waterfront, as it brings into question if a relieving platform is needed at all. Many Council and Committee members answered this with a version of “Yes, but,” with cautious support for small working boats and hesitancy to allow larger vessels. However, all members agreed that the most important answer is that of the Beaufort community.
Whether you care more about preserving views of the river, maximizing public use, or improving flood protection, now is the time to get involved. Ask yourself: What do you want the future of Waterfront Park to be? Attend meetings (in person or online), share your opinions with the City, and encourage your neighbors to do the same. The next Waterfront Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for November 3rd, with a special meeting scheduled for October 21st to prepare the survey.
