Folly Beach working to increase pedestrian, biker safety
FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) – The City of Folly Beach is putting a focus on the safety of bikers and pedestrians with new pathways being installed around the island’s commercial district.
It’s part of the city’s comprehensive plan written in 2015. The plan included a recommendation to increase pedestrian safety.
“We have a large number of visitors mostly, residents for sure, but mostly visitors, who walk to and from our business district and we’ve got unimproved road shoulders. We’ve got parking in the right of way in many places and so we find that many folks are in the street,” said Aaron Pope, the City Administrator for Folly Beach. “So this is kind of an effort to get folks out of the street, walking on the shoulder of the road,”
The pathways will run between Second St. East and Second St. West along each of the avenues.
The first pathway is complete. It runs along Second St. West from West Indian Avenue to West Arctic Avenue.
Another section along West Ashley Avenue is under construction and conceptual plans for the remainder of the pathways are in the works if not already completed.
Some of the responsibility for building the paths will fall on the city, but an ordinance being discussed in the Planning Commission meeting on Monday night involves private landowners.
“It’s an ordinance to require new development and redevelopment in the commercial district to install pedestrian improvements in the right of way along the frontage of the property,” explained Pope.
A public hearing is being held as part of the meeting so residents can share their opinions.
Pope says each path is being custom-designed to have as little impact on existing parking as possible.
“A lot of the commercial district, we’ve got some ditches, we’ve got some areas that are already no parking. So, those are the areas we’re going to make sure the path takes the most advantage of.”
He says pedestrian safety is always needed and this is one step the city is taking towards keeping all island goers safe, no matter their mode of transportation.
