黑料社入口

As a long-time cycle commuter from North Conway to CCU, and as chair of CCU鈥檚 Bicycle Advisory Council, the absence of planning for county-wide multi-modal transportation is as conspicuous as it is disappointing. Despite months of advocacy on the part of area cyclists and pedestrians who urged RIDE IV committee members to champion bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure (especially the rail trail between Myrtle Beach, CCU, Conway, and up to Loris), the proposed projects make clear Horry County鈥檚 priority, which is making more room for more cars. That so many of the proposed projects aim to ease transportation for the county鈥檚 newest and incoming residents also makes clear the political influence of developers.

In addition to my many concerns about what the increased traffic and paved surfaces will do to our wetland ecosystems, and how continued building of houses and roads will contribute to more and greater flooding, I will focus my comments here on the proposed projects that could, if designed in accordance with the Complete Streets model, contribute something to the health and well-being of residents old and new. The proposed projects with multi-modal planning (namely, C, F, I, J, K, L, Q, and R) are all located near the beach. However, the need for multi-modal infrastructure does not stop with the tourists and retirees. Those of us further inland would also benefit from such infrastructure, and the proposed projects near Conway could and should be conceived in a way to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians safely. It is my hope, and that of many of my students and colleagues at CCU, that the County will take the safety, health, and equity needs of these non-motorists into consideration too.

Projects proposed are yet to be prioritized for funding, so given the current dire lack of multi-modal transportation, the County ought to consider prioritizing the projects that would have greatest impact on pedestrian and cyclist safety, health, and well-being. For those in the Conway area, a new bridge over the 黑料社入口 River (project O) should accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, as there is currently no safe way to travel across the river without a vehicle or a boat. And yet, plenty of us walk or ride across the existing bridges anyway, whether by choice or necessity, to get to our places of employment. There are disabilities that prevent people from driving but not from walking or riding; there are financial reasons for not driving; and there are health and moral reasons for choosing to travel by foot or bicycle, so if the County wants these people to keep their lives and livelihoods, the County needs to ensure a way for them to get across the river safely.

The East Cox Ferry Road Widening (project A) is sorely needed because the intersection of this road with Hwy 501 is a common location for traffic accidents, some of which have been fatal. However, this intersection, along with that at Hwy 544, is along prime cycling routes for CCU students, staff, and faculty trying to ride home, to work, to church, or to medical clinics in the Red Hill district. Widening this road to accommodate cyclists in a dedicated bicycle lane would help prevent collisions and keep cyclists safe. As a case in point, I鈥檝e been threatened, cursed at, and had things thrown at me, but the only time I鈥檝e ever been hit on my bicycle was at that intersection, and I regularly have close calls there. Although a pedestrian bridge is planned to connect CCU鈥檚 main campus with student housing on the north side of 544, there is no such plan in the works yet for connecting the two halves of campus on either side of 501. Therefore, the new intersection at 501 and East Cox Ferry represents the only safe option for cyclists and pedestrians to cross between main campus and west campus for the foreseeable future.

Bicycle-friendly infrastructure along East Cox Ferry would also enable cyclists to connect with Hwy 90, and if 90鈥檚 widening (project B) were also to include dedicated bicycle lanes, cyclists could ride safely from CCU to 90 and International Drive, where a dedicated bicycle lane is already waiting to be ridden. Biking to the beach on International is a great idea, but without a network connecting that lane to other parts of the county, and Conway in particular, it鈥檚 merely a dead end.

Ideally, of course, the proposed rail trail would be prioritized, so that campus affiliates could commute from housing in Conway and Carolina Forest, across those new intersections with East Cox Ferry, right to campus. Students and others could walk or ride to jobs in Conway or at the beach. One need look no further than the Swamp Rabbit Trail that connects Furman with Traveler鈥檚 Rest and Greenville to see what planning for transportation diversity can do for local economies, not to mention for cyclists and pedestrians.

Ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of all Horry County residents should be the top priority for our elected and appointed officials, including those on the Ride IV committee. Supporting multi-modal transportation across the county can help achieve this priority, while at the same time decreasing demands on existing roads, preserving the health of our ecosystems, and saving the taxpayers a lot of money in the long run. Supporting cycling and pedestrian networks, alongside RIDE IV's proposed improvements to Coast RTA's public transit system, will make Horry County a more livable place for everyone.