City of North Charleston Safety Action Plan
THE LATEST
The City of North Charleston has contracted with a consultant to begin development of their Safety Action Plan in 2026. As we await the opportunity for public participation, Charleston Moves has a survey and petition in support of safe bicycling and walking in North Charleston here. We will share all of the survey responses and petition signatures with the City and their consultant as they are putting together their Plan.
DESCRIPTION
Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), USDOT has set up a discretionary grant program called Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) for municipalities and planning organizations. There are planning/demonstration grants (including to develop a comprehensive Safety Action Plan) and implementation grants (in order to qualify for implementation grants, an applicant must have a comprehensive Safety Action Plan in place).
The City of North Charleston applied for a SS4A planning grant, and was selected for federal funding in September 2024 (watch Mayor Burgess’ 2025 State of the City Address which mentions the plan here). That grant was held for review by the newly-created US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until late 2025. Following release of the funding, the City of North Charleston has contracted with a consultant to begin development of the Plan in early 2026.
HISTORY
South Carolina, and the Charleston-North Charleston metro area in particular, consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous places in the nation for people on bicycles, foot, and in motor vehicles, based on crash rates. The most vulnerable travelers among us are those who are bicycling or walking, with and without assistive devices. And in South Carolina, Black and senior communities experience a disproportionate impact.
Over the past few years, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has created a Complete Streets Departmental Directive and a statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan. Charleston Moves participated in the development of both documents. SCDOT has been conducting Road Safety Audits along corridors throughout the state with the highest crash rates, and has proposed safety improvements to address some of the collision hotspots. In North Charleston, those include Ashley Phosphate Road, Dorchester Road, Ladson Road, and Remount Road.
Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), USDOT has set up a discretionary grant program called Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) for municipalities and planning organizations. There are planning/demonstration grants (including to develop a comprehensive Safety Action Plan) and implementation grants (in order to qualify for implementation grants, an applicant must have a comprehensive Safety Action Plan in place).
Charleston Moves strongly encouraged the City of North Charleston to apply for SS4A funding to create a citywide Safety Action Plan, and has been collecting public feedback and bike/ped data for years to support such a Plan.