Mt. Pleasant eyes bike plan

MOUNT PLEASANT — Got an idea what this town should do to make its streets more safe and attractive to bicyclists and pedestrians? Town officials want to hear from you.

The town will hold a drop-in planning session this evening, part of its effort to create a new bike and pedestrian plan.

Town Planning Director Christiane Farrell said the plan covers everything from town ordinances on biking to bike racks, missing sidewalk sections, registering bikes and utility rights of way that could be used for new trails.

Charleston Moves, a bicycle advocacy group, has urged the town to improve connections between bicycle-friendly parts of town, director Tom Bradford said.

“A bike lane doesn't do much for you if you can't safely get to your chosen destination,” he said.

Specifically, Bradford said the group would like to see Coleman Boulevard's bike lane continued over its full length, reworking the Coleman-McGrath Darby intersection at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge bike lane and making both Rifle Range Road and Mathis Ferry Road safer for biking and walking.

The town already has plans to expand and enhance Coleman's bike lane as part of a redo of that street next year, Farrell said.

Charleston Moves also hopes the town will join Charleston and six other South Carolina municipalities that are considered “bicycle friendly” communities by the League of American Bicyclists.

Farrell said Town Council is expected to be asked to give its approval of the bicycle and pedestrian plan early next year.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.