Members of Charleston County Council: August 11, 2011With this letter, we are going on record with our concerns about the current plan forHarbor View Road. Our view is that in the final analysis, the plan mainly address theconcerns of automobile drivers — not the

broader

needs of people living around thiscritically important road. Neighbors have consistently asked for safe options to walk, toride bicycles and drive cars. A more equitable approach to all three modes of transportation can help this community stay connected and continue to allow residents toenjoy where they live, work — where they have chosen to spend their lives.Here are the changes that can make this plan work much better for everyone:

Crosswalks & Sidewalks:

Crosswalks and sidewalks should link blocks east andwest, north and south. a/ They’re needed to safely get

across Harborview

and notjust across side streets as they intersect with Harborview. Lack of crosswalks onHarborview itself creates a barrier between the two sides of a neighborhood, theequivalent of building a wall that only cars can get around, and deterring people(especially children) from walking or riding bicycles. b/ Consistent with this goal, atthe southern end of the Harborview, crosswalks should cross Harborview to link tothe new sidewalk on Fort Johnson Road, a nice sidewalk just installed. c/Sidewalks should

extend to the bridge over James Island Creek

. There aresidewalks on this existing bridge, but no safe way to walk to them.

North of James Island Creek:

While we understand financial constraints, we mustpoint out that this stretch of Harborview also requires sidewalks and bike lanes.Getting people to the James Island Creek Bridge faster, but then not fixing thelarger problem of no bike lanes or sidewalks is counterproductive. Cars will still be“bottlenecked” here, and people on bicycles will still have to ride in the roadwaywhich does not allow vehicles to pass safely. This is not good for anyone. Give thebicycles a safe place to ride on the side of the road in a lane and the people thatchoose to drive will be able to continue on their way. Better for all.

Keep Bike Lanes on the Road:

The 10' multi-use path is a nice idea, but in ouropinion does not measure up for either existing or projected needs or usage in thisarea. Here, too many side streets and too many driveway crossings spell increaseddanger for people using a multi-use path. Motorists tend to be alert for auto traffic

on the road

, not people on foot and on bicycles appearing

before

the roadway. Thisis the very reason that both MUTCD and AASHTO both suggest bicycle lanes in thesecircumstances — not multi-use paths. (Also, most cyclists will shun the multi-usepath because its inherent dangers will slow them, and they’ll use the roadwayanyway.)