LOWCOUNTRY, S.C. (WCIV) — The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments is spearheading an initiative aimed at improving rural transportation in the tri-county area. The effort is part of a state-mandated plan that looks 20 years into the future to ensure residents outside major population centers have adequate transportation options.
Sarah Cox, a senior transportation planner with BCDCOG, said, “It is long-term or long range looking. So it has to cover 20 years.” The plan takes a multi-modal approach, addressing roadway, bike, pedestrian, freight, and public transportation needs.
The rural designation for the plan is based on the latest Census data, with areas like Awendaw fitting the profile. Cox emphasized the importance of focusing on rural areas, saying, “Because this planning effort actually develops a plan very specific to the rural areas. I think it benefits them because they aren’t lumped in with the urban areas where their voices maybe lost.”
READ MORE | “Tri-County officials seeks public input for rural transportation plan.”
While urban areas often grapple with heavy traffic, rural residents face different challenges. “So there’s things like safety, connectivity, alternative transportation. For example, transit really takes priority in some of those rural areas,” Cox said. Other concerns include access to food shopping, commuting options, and problematic intersections.
Cox highlighted the importance of community input in the planning process. “A big part of our planning process and why we are out in the community right now getting public input is to hear what vision the community wants to see or what do they want to get out of the transportation system,” she said.
Residents have the opportunity to voice their opinions at an open house hosted by BCDCOG on Tuesday night at Awendaw’s Town Hall on Doar Road from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. More information can be found here.
