Folly Road (SC-171) is the main thoroughfare on James Island and the only route leading to Folly Beach. According to the Charleston County Proposed Comprehensive Transportation Plan, the Folly Road/Camp Road intersection was the most congested on James Island. The low-lying roadway was also prone to flooding, creating additional hardships for the area residents.

In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and to improve drainage, STV was contracted by Charleston County to perform a range of engineering design services including roadway, drainage, environmental, as well as right-of-way and utility coordination for improvements at Folly and Camp roads. A key part of this $12.3 million construction project was designing a wider roadway, with additional turning lanes, as well as bike lanes and more accessible sidewalks, without disrupting a complex system of underground utilities. This challenge was magnified by the fact that the project team had to develop customized drainage solutions to address the space constraints of the intersection and the surrounding business. Meanwhile, Folly and Camp roads are lined with heritage oak trees, so the final design solution had to operationally improve the roadway while avoiding the removal of these historically significant trees.