

CPR Resource Center
The most comprehensive library of emergency training resources — including videos, articles, downloads, and more.
The most comprehensive library of emergency training resources — including videos, articles, downloads, and more.
I spend much of my time championing for hands-only CPR education programs and early access to defibrillation in an effort to make my community safer. My “safety hat” also includes other initiatives, one of which has come up for a major decision in recent weeks – providing a safe way for bicycles and pedestrians to cross the Ashley River.
My stance on this issue is a bit selfish – I am a West Ashley resident, owner of a West Ashley based small business, and I enjoy being outdoors. My family and I frequently ride our bicycles and walk the West Ashley Greenway which cuts through our neighborhood. I would be one of the first to take advantage of a safe crossing downtown, but I’m certainly not alone.
Charleston invests huge amounts into infrastructure for city residents and visitors. Unfortunately it rarely seems to be directed towards non-vehicular transportation options – something that the entire region majorly lacks. A recent example was the $290k taxpayer funded, indestructible toilet that was built in a downtown park earlier this year.
I joined the battle to create safe passage from West Ashley onto the Charleston peninsula about four years ago. Besides some gray hairs, I’ve got nothing to say for it.
In this time, the City studied and approved conversion of a northbound lane over the existing Legare Bridge to be used for bike and pedestrian crossing, however concerns with taking a lane away from an already busy bridge resulted in this plan being scrapped.
City officials then submitted BUILD grant applications to support building a new standalone bike and pedestrian bridge over the Ashley River. This grant has been turned down twice and now stands before the Department of Transportation for a third look – this is where we need your help.
The need for a safe crossing over the Ashley River has been apparent for several years. Numerous pedestrians and cyclists have been injured or killed crossing the existing bridge with traffic. Meanwhile, Charleston is growing exponentially resulting in more drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians sharing the roads.
A standalone bridge would have a number of impacts on Charleston safety, traffic, and the economy:
Safe non-vehicular access to downtown has been needed for years. The failure to act on this has kept Charleston far behind thriving cities which have had the forethought to include pedestrian and bicycle access at the center of their long-term growth plans. We need an immediate fix to connect West Ashley to downtown and we need long-term comprehensive solutions to address the regional transportation issues the county faces.
This grant needs your support to move through the selection process. Here is how you can help:
Here’s the link: https://www.change.org/p/charleston-county-council-and-charleston-city-council-stop-stalling-bridge-the-ashley
Here’s the shortlink for the Tweeters: https://bit.ly/2Ot3hKM
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