City Council discusses designated bike lane around Hampton Park (Updated: Tabled, for now)

Image by Flickr user Imagined Reality

Updates are at the bottom:

First reporting: City officials are flirting with the idea of converting the inner lane of the loop around Hampton Park into a designated biking and walking lane.

According to the article in The Post and Courier, the plan would be to create a bike lane about 5 feet wide with a 4-foot shoulder for pedestrians. City Council members held off from casting votes on the proposal, citing that more time, studies and input from residents would be required.

What are your thoughts on the proposed conversion? Yay or nay?

Update May 22:This just in from Charleston Moves:

Charleston Movers:

As you may know, the City of Charleston has advanced a plan to dedicate one of the two lanes on the road through Hampton Park to cyclists and pedestrians. Charleston Moves has endorsed the plan.

Our position is simple: Hampton Park is a park!

But if one wishes to pursue the logic a little further, consider the argument that the City's plan really only memorializes a traffic pattern that exists in the park a majority of the time anyway. Cyclists, walkers and runners are often found in the inside lane, while vehicles easily negotiate the park via the outside lane.

The City's plan comes up for a hearing and a council vote at 5 p.m. TODAY and strong community support may stave off opposition. Having PEOPLE PRESENT (that's YOU) to support the plan is IMPERATIVE. If you can get away from work early, or have someone else watch your children for a short while, please do so! Your support this evening is what will help bring about this needed change.

Thank you for continued support of our efforts to keep our community safe and pedestrian-friendly.

Tom Bradford

Update May 24: Despite the presence of an overwhelming tide of public support, the Charleston City Council decided, at least for now, not to re-dedicate one of two lanes in Hampton Park for use by bicyclists and pedestrians.

Resistance seemed to center on provisions for pedestrians in the plans (or on the absence of adequate plans for pedestrians).

Again, I'll point you to the the Charleston Moves website for more on the City Council's decision.

Filed in