[June 3, 2022]
You did so much for mobility in May!
With all the petitions you signed, narratives and testimonials you provided, surveys you answered, trips by bike/bus/foot, bike lights you distributed — even the litter you pulled from Filbin Creek — you may be wondering what impact Mobility Month has on our region.
The overarching effect from the month is demonstrating critical mass. When fellow taxpayers, area planners, and elected officials see hundreds of different types of people on different types of bicycles coming together to engage around safe mobility, the community’s desire for safe accessibility is clear. Even better when, like our May rides, elected officials bike with us! Our rides also boost energy and excitement, especially for equitable river crossings. Most Charleston County bridges are not accessible for vulnerable road users, so when we have a safe group ride, we get the unique opportunity to enjoy this public space, and in turn, feel firsthand what we are advocating for.
Awareness of and engagement on key issues is also important. Annual May events are planned to complement opportunities for change available at that time, highlighting projects we are laser focused on. Charleston Moves and Charleston Waterkeeper teamed up for Safe Streets + Clean Creeks to not only remove debris from Filbin Creek underneath I-526, but also draw attention to: 1. highway and road runoff is littering our waterways; 2. clean bicycle and pedestrian access near the creek and along I-526 through the Lowcountry Corridor project mitigation is possible. Dozens of you helped remove 785 pounds of trash and runoff from Filbin Creek, and you can still help with sustainable mobility in the area. Learn more about the issue HERE, and let us know where you would like to be able to bike and walk in North Charleston HERE. We will use your input not only through our participation on the project stakeholder committee, but also as we continue discussions with the City of North Charleston on a potential bike/ped master plan for the municipality.
The Bridge Adventure Ride was organized to celebrate the City of Charleston, SCDOT and USDOT’s progress on the new Ashley River Bridge, as well as to highlight the need to address the Wappoo Cut. Those of you who participated showed how many people are looking forward to bridging the Ashley, and several of you added your names to our Wappoo Cut petition, or provided narratives on your experience with that bridge. While our application for Wappoo Cut planning assistance unfortunately was not selected by the National Park Service, we are using your signatures and narratives to target other planning opportunities. If you have not yet signed our Wappoo Cut petition (or can’t remember if you have), please make sure to add your name HERE. We are also still collecting narratives on an ongoing basis HERE. And, check out our new video from Hanson Media House HERE!
The Ride of Silence is an international event. Locally, this year’s highlighted the North Bridge. Those who participated demonstrated reverence for the victims we have lost on our roadways, but also showed your support for the Better North Bridge project as we await word from USDOT on Charleston County’s grant application. We continue to collect North Bridge testimonials. If you would like to submit one as a photo and/or video, please email [email protected]. And your input on our North Charleston bike/ped survey (listed above) will also assist.
Twice a year, we host Light the Night events. We typically distribute hundreds of free bike light sets and educational cards with tips on smart and empowered riding. The goal is to reduce economic barriers to safety, while building community relationships. For May’s national Bike to Work Day, we did a special Light Up Your Commute event in the Dorchester Terrace and Waylyn neighborhoods. Teaming up with North Charleston R.E.C.A.P., our staff and volunteers distributed more than 100 bike light sets and safe riding cards. We had lots of great conversations, and delicious food from Destiny Community Cafe’s new food truck! It is vital to work together with communities, law enforcement, and service organizations to learn on-the-ground about what each neighborhood prioritizes and how we can assist with mobility choice. Strong relationships can ultimately bring the neighborhood streets we each dream of enjoying. Check out a great video from Graph It Up HERE.
We could not be more thankful for our supportive and generous community of advocates for transportation choice, safe streets, and access for all. When Charleston moves, so do you!
And now, onward to our summer work!
BY THE NUMBERS:
- $36,860 raised to unlock our Pathfinder Foundation match
- 1,025 event photos for visibility
- 785 pounds of debris cleaned up, including single-use plastics like Styrofoam
- 325 donors
- 175+ Ride of Silence participants
- 150+ Bridge Adventure Ride participants
- 125+ bike light sets distributed
- 100+ safe riding cards distributed
- 49 new signatures to our Wappoo Cut petition
- 26 volunteer roles filled
- 25 free meals distributed
- 15 sponsors
- 13 new Better North Bridge testimonials
- 10+ media hits
- 8 new Wappoo Cut narratives
- 6 responses to our North Charleston walk/bike survey
- 2 bike rides
- 1 community walk
- 1 drone video
