A More Pleasant Commute?

A creative approach to easing the strain of traffic by smoothing the flow, accommodating cyclists and orienting buildings to pedestrians rather than automobiles –

"A transportation consulting firm recently revealed some of its concepts for the widening of Highway 17, also known as Johnnie Dodds Boulevard, to members of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce at its East Cooper Business Connection breakfast.

The project has three main goals: to build an interchange at Highway 17 and Bowman Road so traffic on Highway 17 can continue uninterrupted over the intersection, to widen Highway17 to six lanes and to create a boulevard-type design with sidewalks and curbs.

A bike path is planned for a landscaped parkway that would separate the six-lane highway from the northbound frontage road, a median that would be as wide as 30 feet in places. Buildings in the area would be redeveloped over time to be situated close to the sidewalks, instead of set back from the highway behind vast parking lots.

TranSystems, a Kansas City, Mo.-based consulting firm with offices in Charleston, began working on design concepts for the project in late January. The most aggressive start date for construction is currently thought to be late winter of 2008 or early 2009, and planners say a completion date is not yet possible to predict.

The town of Mount Pleasant plans to schedule its first public presentation of the plans sometime toward the middle or end of this month."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_14/news/9776-1.html