Professional Documents
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EDITORIALS
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Ashley or the Wappoo. It was two years ago that the idea was presented to convert one lane of the east-bound Ashley River bridge to bicycle use. Charleston, Charleston County and the S.c. Department of Transportation are still trying to nail down an agreement about issues like maintenance and operations involved with the new lane. One thing making it tricky is that the lane is to be temporary, and if it negatively impacts motor traffic it would be converted back to vehicular use. A preliminary design by the county is now under internal review. It was in June that the S.C. Legislature agreed to allow bike traffic on the James Island Connector. The city of Charleston on Sunday advettised for bids to study how bicyclists can be safely accommodated. There is no safe way over the Wappoo bridge or the North Bridge over the Ashley River. Tom Bradford, director of Charleston Moves, a non -profit organization that advocates for alternate forms of transportation, says people are frustrated and angered by the lack of progress. ' Making those transportation changes happen is a challenge, but it is also critical to the area's future. Traffic is getting worse, and at least one business executive, Matt Weismiller, president of Bechtold Corp., told New Generation Consulting that it is "negatively impacting our employees"commute times and overall satisfaction with their work life." John Osborne, former chairman of the Chamber's Young Professional group, said he is optimistic - very optimistic. The business community, he said, has caught on and understands the need for safe bike routes that people can travel to get to work. Still,the wheels of government move all too slOWly. nd while it is important to make A decisions that promote safety and ensure smooth operation, these changes should be dealt with like a footrace, not a stroll.