Streets Are For Peeps, Not Just Cars
Posted by Chad Norman May 8th, 2009 .Jen and I like to use bikes as auto alternatives when we can, which is difficult out in the ‘burbs. With connector roads and 5-lane speedways, a simple trek to the grocery can be scary. Things aren’t getting easier.
When Whipple Road was given a make-over, we thought this important vein in Mount Pleasant would have state of the art design. Sharrows for cyclists, a wide pedestrian path, etc. I gotta say, we’re a bit disappointed. The lanes are just wide enough so that SUVs can whiz past cyclists straddling the asphalt/concrete line. The sidewalk is right next to speeding traffic. Badly engineered ramps and crossings fill with giant puddles when it rains.
I know the goal of the project was to add a center turn lane and stoplight, but you’d think a more progressive attitude for pedestrians and cyclists would be present. It’s clear this project was not about how people use the road, but how the machines do.
I want our city to become sustainable in every way, including about ability to leave our cars parked. It’s National Bike Month, so get out there and pedal around this amazing city. Support local groups like Charleston Moves, and read Nikki Seibert’s blog. Learn the cycling laws in our area, and get out there an explore.
Check out these great stats from this blog post:
- More than half of cars trips made by Americans would take less than 20 minutes on a bike, but ninety percent of all trips of between one and three miles or less are taken by car. Likewise, fifty-nine percent of trips less than one mile are made by car.
- Increasing the bicycle and pedestrian share of trips between one and three miles from the current level of 4 percent to about 10 percent would avoid approximately 21 billions miles of driving.
- In 2007, less than half of all Americans met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation of at least 30 minutes of modest physical activity on most days.
- Americans spend some $33 billion a year on weight-loss products and services.
- Modest increases in bicycling and walking for short trips could provide enough exercise for 50 million inactive Americans to meet recommended activity levels, erasing a sizable chunk of America’s activity deficit.
Wow, we can do better! How can we get our city to be more progressive?
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How? The only way is by speaking up… write a letter, or an email, or make a phone call, just MAKE THEM LISTEN TO YOU!
Over here on James Island Roadwise (Charleston County’s division of SCDOT, also likely responsible for your Whipple Rd. project) was gonna “improve” the intersection at Camp and Folly Rds. Their initial plan called for tearing down 50 or so grand oak trees, while widening the roads on all four sides. After local clamor at the first meeting, where they intended only to announce the engineered plans they had, they postponed the project and went back to the drawing board. They came back several months later, and hosted several meetings where they unveiled 3 alternative engineered plans–each successful from the engineers’ standpoint in that they were improving the automobile traffic flow, which is what they set out to do. But the residents came out in even greater numbers, resoundingly denouncing all 3 alternatives for not reducing the number of trees damaged and/or cut down. Furthermore the new options had inadequate bike lanes and sidewalks. Back again they went to the drawing board. Finally they came back with something reasonable. But they still met resistance for certain deficiencies, and they are still working on it.
This was all thanks to a motivated and outspoken community and organization by the Islanders for Reasonable Expansion and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League. Without public outcry, we’d have already broken ground on a $5 million project that would have been a permanent disappointment. By the third round of meetings, city council members, county officials, and James Island elected officials were all showing up in response to the letters, emails, and phone calls.