Boat landing in the Bluffton area to close for 3 months for upgrades to the dock

H.E. Trask Boat Landing will be closed for three months beginning Monday as workers install a new 100-foot sectional dock, according to a news release from Beaufort County.

The dock is along the Colleton River at the end of Sawmill Creek Road in the Bluffton area.

The new dock will have five 8-foot by 20-foot floating sections.

“We know this will be an inconvenience to the regular users of the boat landing,” Neil Desai, Beaufort County director of public works, said in the news release. “I encourage our citizens to use one of the nearby landings until the work is completed.”

The project is expected to cost $288,609, the release said. Part of the project cost is funded by a $52,310 hospitality tax grant with the balance of $236,299 covered by the Public Works Department.

Earlier this year, the Beaufort County Council approved almost $5 million in grants to local organizations and projects aimed to promote tourism and activities for residents and visitors. The funding is derived from the 3% local accommodations tax, known as “A-TAX” and often dubbed the “tourist tax” because it’s charged for any hotel room rental in the county, and the hospitality tax, or “H-TAX,” that’s imposed on prepared meals and beverages.