New CARTA Center to Replace Current Super Stop in North Charleston

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority is working on finalizing the design of a new regional transit hub.

CARTA received $25.9 million in federal funding to build this new center which will total $31,863,880.31. The $25.9 million was awarded to the agency through the Federal Transportation Administration Low-No Emission Grant Program.

Replacing the Super Stop

The Shipwatch Square Transit and Center will replace the current Super Stop on Rivers Ave. The new facility will be located down the street from the Super Stop as a part of the Teddie E. Pryor Social Services Hub. It will be adjacent to the new Keith Summey North Charleston Library and will serve as a much more modern and functional hub for CARTA while providing employment opportunities.

Features of the New Center

The 15,000-square-foot facility will be made up of two floors. The first floor will house 10 bus bays including seven battery-electric buses and charging stations to support CARTA’s transition to going all electric by 2040. The second floor of the building will be home to SC Works workforce offices and CARTA training rooms to build a skilled workforce for the agency’s future of electric transit services. CARTA and Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments are partnering with Trident Technical College for this workforce development program that will take $1.5 million of the grant money.

Benefits for the Community

Regional Strategist for BCDCOG Daniel Brock says this new center will greatly benefit the community. “It’s great to see projects like this come to life. Securing that $25.9 million was a huge step forward. A big thanks to our congressional delegation who helped bring that money to the region. And it’s going to substantially benefit CARTA riders and anyone who’s looking to maybe further their career and access some of the resources that are available here along Rivers Avenue,” Brock says.

Anticipated Timeline

Officials anticipate they will enter the construction phase sometime in 2025 and have the entire Shipwatch Square Transit and Center completed by 2026.