From Friday's Post and Courier

Bike lanes needed
It bothers me that a couple of years ago over a million dollars of our tax money was spent to dig a tunnel under Maybank Highway.

This was for the safety of golfers. Now we have a brand- new Maybank Highway, all paved and prettified, but no one thought to give three to four feet beside the road for bikers.

Why are we more concerned about the safety of golfers on a 12-foot span of Maybank Highway than with the safety of bicyclists along the entire stretch of the same highway? Does it bother anyone else?

I say rethink this and paint lines for bike riders. Decrease the median space if need be. Those guys need space without worrying about some rash motorist clipping them as they pass.

Alfred F. Croucher III

Riverland Drive

Charleston

NEWS! PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCOMMODATIONS PLANNED FOR TWO WATER CROSSINGS

Isle of Palms Connector and Rte 41 Bridge to Include Bike/Ped Lanes;
Ben Sawyer Blvd. Plans Moving Forward

Charleston Moves is keeping an eye on the following:


The Isle of Palms Connector will soon be retrofitted with 6' wide bike and pedestrian lanes on each side.

Original discussions envisioned a 10-foot-wide lane approximately 5000 feet long on the Mount Pleasant side of the Connector extending from the IOP Connector Bridge to Rifle Range Road.

But after further analysis, it's SCDOT reportedly agreed with officials from Mount Pleasant that there should be narrower (6') lanes on each side.  Bids are to be taken soon and construction would begin later this year.


(Charleston Moves is double checking all of this, especially the viability of 6'-wide multi-use paths.)

Apparently, funding for this project was in place as much as 7 years ago, and SCDOT didn't inform anyone this was the case.  Even more money was found for the project because of this failure, but it appears these new funds will be put to good use, probably for the bike and pedestrian improvements to Ben Sawyer Boulevard. 


Meantime, the Rte. 41 Bridge replacement project (still in the public comment stage) apparently has provisions for bicycle and pedestrians.  Charleston Moves is also attempting to verify the precise plans.

From France: Effective "Share the Road" Signage

from our friend Bubber Hutto:

I was recently in the Pyrenees where a few of the stages of the Tour de France is held, and they had signs indicating the cycling/vehicle requirements in a very easy to understand way. I thought this might worth
considering for our area. I realize shops here distribute pamphlets which tell what the SC biking laws are, but signs like this that can explain them very quickly and easily to people who may not get into a bike shop very much might be another effective way to "raise awareness".

Note: SVP = s'il vous plait - French for "please". The initials SVP are also used. Notice too.........everybody's waving.
:D

Thank You Very Much!
Clarence C. Hutto, III, PE ("Bubber")

Rush Hour in Utrecht