Boundary Street ‘Diet’ Presents a New Road for Lowcountry Traffic Solution
BEAUFORT, SC- The recent proposal of a “road diet” scenario for the bustling Boundary Street in the Lowcountry has spurred reactions and calls for further details from the populace and elected officials alike. The scheme, introduced by the county’s planning engineers in partnership with Beaufort city and Port Royal, targets the alleviation of traffic congestion on a 12-block portion of Boundary Street, an area experiencing rapid development.
The Road Diet Proposal
In transportation lingo, the proposed scheme is dubbed a “road diet” due to its focus on reducing the existing four lanes from Ribaut Road to Bellamy Curve into two lanes with an additional midsection for turning. To evaluate its effectiveness, the road diet is to be implemented on an experimental basis over six months with restriping marking the beginning of the changes. Evaluative measures will then be carried out to assess how efficiently traffic would adjust to the reductions and whether they would still facilitate smooth flow despite slowing down vehicle movements.
Considering Ribaut Road
In parallel, the planning engineers also anticipate examining the feasibility of the “dieting” technique on Ribaut Road. Despite the planned inclusion of two new traffic circles to spur effective traffic flow in this northern residential area, the proposal has so far met with little public enthusiasm.
However, as city officials in Beaufort city continue the quest for more information regarding the proposed Boundary Street “diet”, this ongoing demand for details serves as a testament to there being likelihood for better decisions and insightful outcomes. This November, county voters will be faced with a crucial decision; to either approve or reject a 1% sales tax projected to collect $1.6 billion over a span of 15 years. The funds from this revenue could be employed towards instigating some of the changes that citizens have been advocating for in recent years.
Contemplating Failed Parallel Road Strategy
Indeed the subject of road planning continues to spark debate with the recent Beaufort City Council engaging in discussions about the much-disputed, never realized parallel road idea for Boundary Street. The idea, unlike the recently tabled “diet” idea, was not featured in the meeting’s agenda, but was a focal point of the discussions by the elected officials that day.
Conceptualized as part of the Boundary Street Redevelopment Project initiated by the City Council in 2009, the parallel road was proposed to serve as an alternative east to west route in order to lessen the congestion between the Robert Smalls Parkway/S.C. 170 intersection and Ribaut Road intersection. Unfortunately, due to a variety of factors, including conflicts with the Riverview Baptist Church, the road concept was never fully actualized.
A Push Towards Affordable Housing
Fast forward to last year, a major new residential project, Pintail Pointe, complete with 84 “affordable” apartments, is now under construction where this parallel road would have been. This “affordable” housing trend looks set to continue with the onset of another apartment complex Carrington Manor, situated next to PinTail Point will soon begin construction, offering 64 affordable units for residents 55 and above.
In conclusion, both past and present authorities in Beaufort city continue to grapple with the logistics of improving traffic conditions on Boundary Street. Whether to “diet” or parallelize, the way forward is far from definitive.”
Author: Lolita Huckaby Watson, a community volunteer and former reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, and Bluffton Today, is well versed in the happenings of the Lowcountry. Lolita prides herself on delivering factual but opinionated information based on her observations. You can contact her at bftbay@gmail.com