Organizers for the Charleston County “Better Northbridge” project are looking for public input on the project’s direction at a meeting from 4-7 p.m. this evening at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Ashley.
The project involves building a standalone bike and pedestrian bridge adjacent to the existing Northbridge which extends from Poston Road in West Ashley to Azalea Drive in North Charleston. There have been four cyclists killed on the bridge since 2015, according to county data. Even more have been injured.
In October 2021, transportation advocacy group Charleston Moves hosted an event to raise awareness about the lack of pedestrian access and safety in the area. At least 250 people attended, organizers said in a City Paper report.
“It was abundantly clear, based on the number of people who showed up (especially in the face of rain!) that a better North Bridge is important to the community on both sides of the river for an abundance of reasons,” said Charleston Moves executive director Katie Zimmerman. “And folks didn’t just ride their bikes — they filled out county surveys, volunteered to place yard signs and provided testimonials about the need for safe bike/ped access at the North Bridge crossing.”
The area surrounding the bridge has seen various proposals to make it safer, with pedestrian and cycling advocacy groups proposing taking lanes from cars for better walking access — much to the annoyance of some county leaders, according to a 2021 column by The Post and Courier’s Brian Hicks.
Residents can submit comments through the project website, the public information meeting page or emailing the project team at roads@charlestoncounty.org.
Charleston Moves is also hosting outdoor table sessions for further discussion regarding the project at the following locations:
- CARTA Superstop. Corner of Rivers and Cosgrove avenues. Feb. 18. 3-5 p.m. North Charleston.
- Big Lots. 1401 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Ste. 15. Feb. 22. 3-5 p.m. West Ashley.
- CARTA Superstop. Corner of Rivers and Cosgrove avenues. Feb. 24. 3-5 p.m. North Charleston.
- Mary Utsey Park. 1350 Orange Grove Road. Feb. 28. 4:30-6:30 p.m. West Ashley.
Love Best of Charleston?
Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.