THE LATEST

Alongside a team of local leaders and community stakeholders, Charleston Moves is advocating for a road diet for Rivers Avenue, in tandem with the Lowcountry Rapid Transit project. Collectively, we want to see a reduction in the number and width of travel lanes, widened sidewalks, a multi-use path and landscaping. We’re grateful to have the support of SCDOT Secretary Hall, Representatives Marvin Pendarvis and JA Moore, Senator Deon Tedder, Metanoia, and owners of The Starlight Motor Inn. During an October 2023 meeting, we’ve requested the BCDCOG assess the feasibility of this design in their forthcoming Transit Oriented Development, Phase III study.

In September 2023, Charleston Moves staff joined a multi-disciplinary team for a Road Safety Audit of the Centre Pointe area, including Centre Pointe Drive, Tanger Outlet Boulevard, and a segment of International Boulevard. We’ve proposed various bike/ped improvements, and are waiting on the consultant to put together a report. We will keep you posted! 

DESCRIPTION

Roughly 10% of North Charleston residents do not own or have access to a motor vehicle. The City’s comprehensive plan (PRIME North Charleston) places an emphasis on dense, diverse land use practices and zoning policies which indicate that accessible and connected infrastructure is a priority — it’s also a matter of equity. There is great potential to connect people with places through a dedicated network that includes rebalancing major thoroughfares, off-road space for trails, and low-speed neighborhood routes. The Lowcountry Rapid Transit project will be transformative, and high ridership is contingent upon safe bike/ped connections to the stations. To create an impactful mode shift with this project, Charleston Moves is advocating for robust multi-modal connections via dedicated walk- and bikeways, road diets, people-oriented intersections and landscaping for a more inviting experience.

HISTORY

Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan

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. A Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan is an instrumental tool to guide priorities and facilitate implementation. 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.

Since 2021, Charleston Moves has been collecting petition signatures, interviewing community members and collecting surveys to understand how people are choosing to travel, and where they would like to be able to safely walk and bike. In 2023, we interviewed students at North Charleston High School. 

Azalea Drive

The Azalea corridor is a key community connector for North Charleston, linking multiple neighborhoods with schools, community centers, the Lowcountry Food Bank, forthcoming Better North Bridge, forthcoming Lowcountry Rapid Transit spine, forthcoming bike/ped bridge adjacent to the I-526 Westmoreland Bridge into West Ashley, Charleston County government headquarters, and more. Throughout 2021 and 2022, Charleston Moves conducted multiple rounds of bike/ped counts to document existing vulnerable road user demand and survey the community. You can reference our report for a deep-dive into our findings. 

In working with the City of North Charleston, Charleston County and SCDOT, Charleston Moves successfully advocated for a road diet of Azalea Drive between Cosgrove and Leeds Avenues. 5’ bike lanes were installed from Cosgrove to Bonds Avenues in 2022, and from Bonds to Leeds Avenues in 2023. This infrastructure is a key connection to the future Better North Bridge. 

The City of North Charleston has a vision to install an off-road trail adjacent to Azalea Drive, along a power easement spanning Leeds Avenue to Cosgrove Avenue, then through the neighborhoods via sharrows and on-street bike lanes to King Street Extension to link up with Lowcountry Rapid Transit.