A right to be there

Could 526 plan ruin J.I. connector access for cyclists, walkers?

Even back in the fall of 1993, when the James Island and Isle of Palms "connector" bridges opened, some knew that the exclusion of officially dedicated bike and pedestrian lanes likely would become an issue in the future.

That day may have arrived, at least for one of the two bridges.

The bridges are like structural, identical twins, birthed in the aftermath of 1989's Hurricane Hugo. The $124.7 million James Island connector linked downtown Charleston and James Island with a 2.9-mile-long bridge in September 1993. The $38.3 million, 2.17-mile IOP connector between Mount Pleasant and Isle of Palms was christened in October 1993.

The planning for the bridges came before laws required transportation officials to consider usage for cyclists and pedestrians. Even though no protective dividers separate motorized traffic from people, both bridges have plenty of room to accommodate cyclists, runners and walkers in breakdown lanes.

Still, the right to be there was never officially bestowed, partly because the long-term plan was to make the James Island connector part of Interstate 526, aka the Mark Clark Expressway.

Fast-forward 15 years to 2008.

The state Transportation Department and Charleston County now are considering extending 526 by seven miles from the current terminus in West Ashley, through Johns Island and to the James Island connector.

The $420 million proposal is stirring, and will stir, strong support and opposition for an array of reasons (traffic relief, fear of encouraging development, environmental and community destruction, etc.), as witnessed by an April 10 meeting at Murray-LaSaine Elementary attended by more than 400 people.

I didn't go to the meeting, but I communicated with more than a dozen cyclists and pedestrians, most of whom live and/or work in downtown Charleston and James Island, via e-mail and phone over one particular legitimate concern.

They worry that if the connector is tied into 526, the police will start enforcing laws prohibiting them from using the James Island connector. They say any roadway plans should provide and protect those rights, especially in a day when local governments are working hard to build the Charleston area's bike-ped network of lanes, paths, trails and sidewalks.

Meanwhile, a few cyclists of a more cynical bent questioned the timing of the city of Charleston's announcement (held two days before the 526 public hearing) of a future $4.4 million project linking the West Ashley Greenway to Lockwood Drive via the T. Allen Legare Jr. Bridge over the Ashley River.

I don't think that was a pre-emptive "feel-good" announcement for two reasons. The city has not ticketed cyclists and pedestrians on the connector and has taken a proactive approach to seeking and building bike-ped facilities in Charleston since the design process of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River.

Yet unlike the costly Ravenel and West Ashley bridge projects, this one can be "fixed" merely by providing the long-term right for cyclists and pedestrians to use it. One cyclist suggested lowering the speed limit. (A barrier would be nice, but it's probably not in the cards for engineering and cost reasons.) The James Island connector never will be ideal.

Its ample width encourages speeding. On- and off-ramps at Lockwood Drive and Harbor View Road make it more challenging and threatening to negotiate. The lack of a barrier not only makes it seem less safe, but also allows debris, such as broken glass and nails, to migrate to the breakdown lane, creating a minefield for cyclists who often have to deal with flat tires.

But people still use it for commuting and exercising. I know many who use it as a means to get from the city to Folly Beach (via Harbor View, Fort Johnson, Secessionville and Folly roads) and some who routinely do weekend rides from East Cooper to Folly and back. The local Leukemia Society training groups use it for training.

Some are under the impression that the federal government prohibits bikes and pedestrians on interstates. It doesn't. The individual states make those rules. Besides, the James Island connector currently is a state road, S.C. Highway 30, so the power is ours via our elected officials.

Remember, getting the bike-ped lane put into the design of the Ravenel Bridge in the late 1990s started with a coalition of advocates who included environmental groups, bike and running clubs and students writing letters, making phone calls and talking at meetings. In turn, it garnered support of the municipal governments of Charleston, Mount Pleasant and others.

As for the future use of the James Island connector by people not in cars, now is the time to let your voice be heard. Comments can be made to the S.C. Department of Transportation at scdot.org/i526 or on a hot line at 888-623-4526.

What readers are saying

Local cyclists e-mailed comments on the possibility of losing access to the James Island connector if the Interstate 526 extension links up with it. Here are some of the comments:

"(The) bottom line is that people who really want to bike or commute into town from the other side of the Ashley River use the (James Island) connector. The other two bridges going into West Ashley aren't safe for bikers and not everyone uses the sidewalk. The connector is definitely used by bikers and runners, taking that option away would be a step backward."

-- Betsy Reves

"I live downtown and work on James Island. I drive on the connector daily, NOT by choice. I moved downtown to be close to work. I bicycled to MUSC for 14 years (until) my clinic was moved to James Island. ... The SCCCL (Coastal Conservation League) has promoted a plan to "calm" traffic on the connector to make it ped/bike friendly. I am president of Wagener Terrace Neighborhood, and I want to ride my bike on the connector to work!"

(To see the CCL's proposed alternatives to the I-526 extension, go to newwaytowork.com.)

-- Fran Clasby

"Our Team In Training runners frequently use the J.I. connector for part of our Sunday morning training runs. Although the traffic is lighter when we use it, it still can get dicey at times, and the cars travel at much faster speeds than other roads."

-- Barbara Halpern

"I applaud Mayor (Joe) Riley for planning a bike/ped span across the Ashley to link up with the (West Ashley) Greenway (with Lockwood Drive). What about those of us who live on James Island? If the connector closes, the ONLY route is over the Wappoo Creek Bridge, which is a death wish, in my opinion. ... I regularly ride my bike to work at least once, sometimes two times, per week starting late April. The connector gives me a safe route into Charleston. I will NEVER again attempt to ride over the Wappoo; last time I almost got killed."

-- Chuck Hooker

"I drive the connector daily and ride it approximately weekly. It is very unusual (particularly in the afternoon) to NOT see cyclists on the connector. My primary concern about the prospect of losing the connector as a way to reach the peninsula by bicycle is that the only alternative is Folly Road. This is arguably the least safe road on which to ride a bicycle in Charleston. There remain some safety concerns about the connector as well, particularly at the on/off ramps where we have to cross traffic, but I'll gladly preserve this option over the MUCH less desirable prospect of riding very far on Folly Road."

-- Carl Miller

"My concern is that we must have a reasonably safe route to walk, run, or cycle from West Ashley to downtown and back. If the J.I. connector is closed to nonmotorized traffic, the city will have taken a huge step backward after the livability gains we have seen with the lovely Ravenel Bridge. An alternative route would have to be provided for those who cannot afford to or do not wish to drive motorized vehicles. It does not make sense for Charleston to encourage the use of gas-powered over human-powered transportation. That would be a trend in the wrong direction for several reasons."

-- Phil Whirley

Reach David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com.