North Charleston Needs Safe Transportation Access

City of North Charleston Mayor Summey and Council

South Carolina is one of the most dangerous states in the nation for vulnerable road users, with Charleston County leading the state in rates of injuries and fatalities to people on bicycles and on foot. In 2021, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), the agency that controls the majority of our roadways and bridges, passed a Complete Streets Engineering Directive, emphasizing that local formalized bike/ped plans would be needed for the state to install the appropriate infrastructure. For the City of North Charleston to have the best opportunities to work with SCDOT and achieve safe transportation access for its citizens, there needs to be a municipal Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan to guide priorities and facilitate implementation.
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To: City of North Charleston Mayor Summey and Council
From: [Your Name]

Safe and connected space for people walking, biking and riding transit throughout the City of North Charleston is vital for quality of life. When residents cannot easily travel to work, it jeopardizes housing and employment stability, education, mental and physical health, and so much more. Though each area of the City is unique, being able to access needs, safely and economically, is a common denominator.

Over 10% of the City's households do not have access to a motor vehicle, and many more would opt to walk, bike and ride transit regularly should multi-modal infrastructure exist. Connections between neighborhoods, jobs, schools, parks, healthcare, houses of worship and shopping destinations are critical to a healthy, equitable and sustainable community. I urge the City of North Charleston to develop a Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan to guide priorities and facilitate implementation. This is useful to not only coordinate with regional plans and to leverage for state and federal funding of projects, but also to lead on local projects for local residents. A guiding document that identifies priority corridors and intersections, with a funding and execution plan, is a critical tool to protect citizens, provide equitable opportunities, and continue growing the desirability of North Charleston, for both long-time and new residents alike.