City Of Charleston Completes Downtown Bicycle Survey
April 16, 2015
Public input exceeds expectations
CHARLESTON, SC – The City of Charleston has completed its Downtown Bicycle Survey, which was the first comprehensive study of cycling patterns in Charleston. Created and managed by the Design Division of the Department of Planning Preservation and Sustainability, the online survey ran from March 2 to April 6, 2015. Public participation was gathered by outreach to Charleston neighborhoods, College of Charleston faculty and students, and the Medical University of South Carolina. Charleston Moves, the cycling advocacy organization, contributed with outreach to its membership and College of Charleston students.
“The response to this survey has been outstanding,” said Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. “People from all around the City are riding bicycles more and more not only as an alternative to driving but also as a way to enjoy the beauty of Charleston.”
City planners say that the gathered data is comprehensive enough to inform future decisions about traffic and cycling. “We had a goal of 1,000 survey entries, but we gathered over 1,300 in the just one month. People are very enthusiastic about input on this issue ,” said Jacob Lindsey, Director of the City’s Design Division.
In total, 1303 people completed surveys, entering 1738 different preferred bicycle routes. The mapping portion of the survey was focused on Downtown Charleston, but residents submitted routes from across the region, clearly showing patterns of bicycle ridership for the whole metropolitan area. Of the survey respondents, 59% indicated that they live on the peninsula, while 14% live in West Ashley. Additional survey respondents live in James Island, Johns Island, Daniel Island, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant and other locations. From the City of Charleston, every downtown neighborhood was represented in the survey, with the most responses from Harleston Village, Cannonborough/Elliotborough, Wagener Terrace, and the Eastside.
Not all survey respondents are devoted cycling enthusiasts. When asked, “How many miles per week do you ride?,” 25% indicated a total of only 1-5 miles per week on a bicycle, while only 22% indicated over 25 miles ridden per week.
Planners already see patterns emerging from the survey. Nearly every street on the Peninsula is used by people riding bicycles, but other important routes include the West Ashley Greenway, Highway 61 and the bridges across the Ashley River. Recently built bicycle paths on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and Hampton Park are also clearly highlighted with heavy bicycle use. On the peninsula, the east-west routes of Bee Street and Huger Street are preferred, while the north-south routes of Upper King and Rutledge-Ashley carry heavy bicycle traffic. The perimeter route of Lockwood, Mary Murray and East Bay streets are also highlighted for their scenic quality.
Data gathered from the survey will help planners make informed decisions about future cycling improvements, in accordance with recommendations from the Gabe Klein Mobility Report. In the report from January 2015, the transportation consultant recommended that 12% of all trips downtown should be made by bicycle rather than in cars.
