In the quaint old days of Isle of Palms, getting around the island by walking, biking, carting or even driving was a pleasure and often a snap. It isn’t so easy anymore as island visitors and traffic continue to increase.
To keep it from getting any more problematic, IOP City leaders and Charleston planners held an initial public Island Mobility Study on Oct. 20 at the IOP Recreation Center.
A total of 19 people attended the study, which allowed residents and visitors to learn more, ask questions and provide feedback for what is expected to constitute part of a long-term solution to address high-volume vehicular traffic.
“We have had the mobility study on our to-do list for a couple of years,” said IOP Mayor Phillip Pounds. “Its primary purpose is to evaluate existing bike and pedestrian infrastructure on Isle of Palms and identify gaps and deficiencies that create safety, connectivity and maintenance concerns.”
Kathryn Basha, planning director with the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG), which assists local governments in conducting various planning studies, added that the mobility study could eventually become a major factor in encouraging alternate transportation over vehicle driving.
“The city’s resident and visitor population grows constantly, placing increasing demands on the island’s current bike and pedestrian facilities,” Basha said. “The city not only needs to invest in the maintenance and improvement of these facilities, but also be prepared to address where a lack of facilities, signage and deteriorated conditions cause safety concerns.”
Citizens were encouraged to offer ideas and suggestions through a brief online survey, which was available through Oct. 31. Survey questions included:
- Are there any intersections that you feel unsafe at when walking and/or biking?
- What is your level of support for public investment in sidewalks, bike lanes and/or golf cart facility improvements?
- Please rank your most common reasons for walking or biking.
- How often do you take short trips on the island using the following modes of transportation? Drive, walk, bike, golf cart, scooter, e-bike.
“The ideal result would be to encourage (these) other modes of transportation,” Pounds said. “But we need to ensure the infrastructure is there to support that.”
The BCDCOG project team began creating an inventory in late April, assessing conditions of the existing bike and pedestrian infrastructure on the island including sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes and shared-use paths.
Basha said the assessment has been mapped, along with major destinations on the island, such as parks, recreation facilities, restaurants, grocery stores, fire stations, businesses and beach access paths, to provide “a starting point for public discussion of opportunities for improvements.”
Along with island drainage, visitor parking, beach preservation, sea level rise and water quality, mobility has now become a top issue and challenge seemingly overnight.
While Isle of Palms has been a resort attraction since the turn of the 20th century, the influx of people to the island and all of surrounding Charleston County in just the past three decades has been pushing the limits of living space, infrastructure and resources.
At the height of the IOP summer tourist season, there are between 20,000-60,000 vacationers per day – more than four times the number of permanent residents. The island’s 7 miles of beaches often become so crowded at peak season that it is sometimes hard to see the sand even from a short distance.
The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors estimated in 2022 that the number of people coming to the island, whether permanent or visitor, is expected to keep rising at least through the mid-2030s. Additionally, the Charleston Regional Development Alliance reported just this year that the region’s population not only stands at more than 850,000, but is growing three times faster than the national average.
In a 2023 online IOP Community Enrichment Plan Survey, 59% of the 748 respondents said a more creative approach is needed to handle island traffic management during high visitation – which in the summer months can reach 12,000-20,000 vehicles per day and is likely to increase.
Aside from the growing number of people and vehicles, getting around the island during inclement weather can sometimes pose hazards because of flooding.
While Basha described the study as a vital first step to controlling current and future mobility, any adopted plans will have to be made with respect to balancing increased permanent populations with all sustainable resources – something uncertain at best.
“Having a comprehensive inventory and assessment of facilities that are used or needed to ensure non-motorists can safely mobilize around the island enables the city to plan and budget for improvements in the future,” Basha added. “Results of the study can be used for the city in developing its capital improvement plans and/or budget.”
By L. C. Leach III
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