September 11, 2023

Dear Mayor Tecklenburg and Members of Charleston City Council,

Please accept this letter of support on behalf of King Street businesses and property owners regarding the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s (SCDOT) Downtown Safety Improvements project, specifically the buffered bike lane recommendation for lower King Street between Calhoun Street and Broad Street. According to SCDOT, King Street south of Line Street is the third most dangerous road in the state for people walking and biking. This is a trend that is bad for business and bad for the community.

The historic and iconic King Street corridor is a major attractor for convivial activities, shopping, dining, and commuting, by both residents and visitors, alike. Tens of thousands of pedestrians and hundreds of people on bikes utilize King Street on a daily basis; this data is supported by counts collected by both the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) and City of Charleston.

It is of paramount importance that conditions change to support the safe movement of everyone utilizing King Street, most importantly, vulnerable travelers on foot and bike. It is a fact that narrow travel lanes (which reduce motor vehicle speeds) and dedicated space for all modes make a street safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable, thus reducing automobile trips that induce congestion and cause danger. It is also a fact that the provision of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along central urban corridors boosts business.

To mix vulnerable road users in a lane with motor vehicles and provide no traffic calming — particularly after it has been proven by SCDOT that there is space to install a bike lane — is reckless. The bike lane will work as traffic calming for motorists, while also protecting people on bikes and reducing the chances of a pedestrian being sideswiped by a motor vehicle. It will bring greatly needed clarity to a currently chaotic streetscape.

For the safety of all members of the public who share this space, including our staff and patrons, the undersigned merchants and property owners urge the City of Charleston to expeditiously proceed with SCDOT’s original concept for the buffered bike lane. We also support the implementation of a delivery schedule in conjunction with this safety improvement.