Beaufort County moves to buy Parker’s lot in Port Royal

May 8, 2026

Summary

Beaufort County is nearing a $700,000 purchase of a vacant Parker’s site tied to future traffic upgrades in Port Royal.

Why this matters

The purchase could shape future traffic, pedestrian, bicycle, and drainage improvements at a heavily used Port Royal intersection. It also could limit redevelopment that county officials said might complicate or raise the cost of later road work.

Beaufort County is moving to buy a vacant convenience store and gas station at 1451 Ribaut Road at Lady’s Island Drive in Port Royal for $700,000.

County Council passed an ordinance Feb. 23 authorizing the purchase. Chairperson Alice Howard said Thursday the county was waiting to close on the sale.

The property has been vacant for more than a year. When council approved the purchase, county staff wrote: “Acquiring the parcel at this time provides the county with strategic flexibility and reduces the likelihood that private redevelopment would constrain future improvement options or significantly increase acquisition costs.”

Howard said the county wants to preserve the corner to support future redesign of the Ribaut Road-Lady’s Island Drive intersection, a main route for traffic between Lady’s Island, the Sea Islands, Port Royal, and Beaufort. In 2025, average daily traffic on Lady’s Island Drive between Meridian Drive on Lady’s Island and Casablanca Circle in Port Royal was 28,000 vehicles, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

Howard said congestion regularly causes backups on Ribaut Road and Lady’s Island Drive during morning and evening rush hours.

On April 13, County Council approved $151,205 to hire Kimley-Horn to design a dedicated right-turn lane from Lady’s Island Drive onto Ribaut Road, along with traffic signal changes. Howard said the Parker’s property would help accommodate that work.

Howard said buying the property could give the county options for additional lanes, pedestrian and bicycle access, and stormwater improvements.

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Full story +

Beaufort County is moving to buy a vacant convenience store and gas station at 1451 Ribaut Road at Lady’s Island Drive in Port Royal for $700,000.

County Council passed an ordinance Feb. 23 authorizing the purchase. Chairperson Alice Howard said Thursday the county was waiting to close on the sale.

The property has been vacant for more than a year. When council approved the purchase, county staff wrote: “Acquiring the parcel at this time provides the county with strategic flexibility and reduces the likelihood that private redevelopment would constrain future improvement options or significantly increase acquisition costs.”

Howard said the county wants to preserve the corner to support future redesign of the Ribaut Road-Lady’s Island Drive intersection, a main route for traffic between Lady’s Island, the Sea Islands, Port Royal, and Beaufort. In 2025, average daily traffic on Lady’s Island Drive between Meridian Drive on Lady’s Island and Casablanca Circle in Port Royal was 28,000 vehicles, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

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