In 2018, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) shared that King Street is one of the five most dangerous roads in the state for people walking and biking. In 2022, SCDOT presented conceptual designs to improve bike and pedestrian safety on King Street that included a buffered bike lane south of Calhoun, roughly from Marion Square to Broad Street.
This concept would have greatly improved safety for people biking to work and school along the route, created a single dedicated lane for cars that improves traffic flow, and INCREASED on-street parking and loading zones for businesses along King Street.
Last month, SCDOT provided an update on their plans to Charleston City Council and unfortunately, the updated plan no longer includes a buffered bike lane. Instead, the new proposal features wider on-street parking and a 14-foot-wide travel lane to be shared by both cars and cyclists. This option will not improve safety. In fact, putting cars and bikes in the same extra-wide travel lane will actually make King Street even more dangerous for folks traveling by bike.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Charleston City Council will host a public meeting to share plans for the project and take public comment during the City’s Traffic & Transportation Committee meeting on August 9th at 3:00PM.
Please plan to attend this meeting and give comments in support of the buffered bike lane concept presented by SCDOT in 2022.
City of Charleston Traffic & Transportation Committee
August 9, 2023, 3:00 PM
City Hall, 80 Broad Street
You can also reach out directly to members of City Council before the meeting (find contact information here) to share your support.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY?
- Buffered bike lanes increase safety and encourage bicycling by providing more distance and clear boundaries between bicyclists and motor vehicles
- To address traffic congestion in Charleston, we MUST provide safe and convenient opportunities for alternative forms of travel. More folks biking to work, school, and the grocery store means less cars on our crowded streets.
- Cycling benefits the environment by reducing emissions and cutting down pollution from fluid spills and tire particles.
- The buffered bike lane WOULD NOT eliminate on-street parking. In fact, it would add additional parking spaces and loading zones.
- Extra-wide travel lanes like the 14-foot shared lane presented last month actually encourage speeding and more reckless driving. This is not a real solution for safety on King Street.
- King Street is one of the most often used and highly visible streets in South Carolina. Everyone from tourists to college students to business owners utilize King Street. This is an opportunity to illustrate to residents and visitors alike that the City of Charleston cares about the safety of ALL its road users.
Please plan to attend the Traffic and Transportation Committee meeting on August 9th at 3:00PM and express your support for the buffered bike lane on King Street. If you can’t attend, reaching out to your representative on City Council ahead of the meeting can be just as impactful.
Reach out to Communities & Transportation Program Director Robby Maynor with any questions or ideas about this project.