The search for how to improve safety along King Street continues
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Nearly a year ago, the South Carolina Department of Transportation named King Street as one of the most unsafe streets for pedestrians and cyclists in South Carolina.
The Department of Transportation has been looking for improvements ever since.
“What we’ve been looking at across downtown Charleston through the SCDOT lens is a road safety audit for the whole area to make things safer," Charleston Councilman Mike Seekings says.
Last month SCDOT proposed adding a bike lane to King Street, but City Council's Traffic and Transportation Committee deferred the original plan. Tuesday afternoon SCDOT presented an alternative to the committee.
"Single lane on king street from a double and then the idea to take Saint Phillip Street consistent with the bike and pedal plan and make it into a cycle track," Councilman Seekings continued.
Unfortunately, not everyone is on board with the new idea. Katie Zimmerman with Charleston Moves believes there has been a lack of transparency about SCDOT's proposed plans, and she hopes, moving forward, the public is more involved.
“But a 14-wide lane of traffic downtown corridor is so unsafe, and every planning committee will say it’s unsafe," Zimmerman said. "Then a discussion needs to be had, and it needs to be a public discussion, not only with constituents that are identified as important to councilmembers but everybody, and we need to discuss what these actual safety improvements for the most vulnerable among us using this street, what does that look like."
Read more: Parker's settles Mallory Beach boat death case for $18.5 million.
During Tuesday's full Council meeting, the Council voted to defer any further action until Aug. 9, and during that time there will be a chance for public comments. Councilman Seekings says the project is only just beginning.
“I don’t think they’ve looked at the whole plan. I think they need to look at the plan and remember this is about road safety, and it's being done by the SCDOT," Councilman Seekings said. "Today is just another step along the way, nothing is set in stone, nothing is done yet, but we need to move on this."
Read more: South Carolina Department of Transportation proposes I-95 road rehabilitation project.