MUSC Roadway comments summary

Comment summary report from the MUSC Roadway Infrastructure Improvements public information meeting held on January 29, 2008.

Comment: My first thought is I think it's outstanding that you are doing something. The traffic there is horrible, but I wonder if we need to think smaller not bigger. I always notice that the biggest problem I see is that people going this way on Courtenay to turn left on Spring Street are blocked by the people coming down Spring Street trying to turn left on Courtenay. I always thought that if someone just policed it and enforced the rule that says you are not supposed to block an intersection you might solve the problem tremendously. With that being said, if you will with alternate one, you would isolate our office tremendously. We have so many people coming from West Ashley and James Island that would not be able to access our office conveniently having them go further up Cannon Street and cross through President Street and come back around. So my vote at this point and time would be that if something can be addressed, address it with alternative two. That would be where I would stand. We would be isolated tremendously.

Comment: Good evening. I am here tonight to represent the citizens that utilize MUSC, not with the transportation folks. I am simply the person that walks across the street. I am here tonight to represent disabled people. I am here tonight to represent disabled veterans. I'm here because, for the last two years, our audible crosswalk which was on the intersection of Doughty right at the corner of the building has been taken out by the construction going on across the street. So people that are blind and visually impaired take their lives in the hands when they cross the streets there. The bus stop, the public bus is on this side of the street that we are on, but the VA is on the other side. So, if you are a patient then you have to cross the street and everyone here knows the traffic on Courtenay and how bad it can be. Are there any plans to do anything about the signals, about the audible crosswalks in that section that your talking about? How do you see your assistance for disabled people in this project?

Response: There are plans for signal improvements. We will upgrade the signals to the new what are called mast arm signals. There will be signal poles instead of signal wires. What we can do is, certainly we have a requirement to address the need of folks with disabilities in the projects. That's why it is very good that you are here, to be able to make sure that we are paying attention to that. We know that we have to look at also how the buses flow through this project here. Make sure that the pedestrians have access throughout the project. Whether it's getting from one project to the bus stop or from hospital to the bus stop or it's just between hospital buildings and doctors offices there is a lot of pedestrian traffic down here. So that need to be adequately addressed and designed and it will be. But we don't have specific, I can't give a specific answer on whether or not an audible signal will be included with any or one or all of the traffic signals, but we will take a look at that, and work with the city and I'll get you an answer on that.

Comment: I think that Mr. Peña is very familiar with audible cross walk he and I had some written correspondence, and that crosswalk had been taken down. It was there for about two and a half to three years and it's been gone now because of construction problems.

Comment: Thank you madam, good evening. I'm here to represent our neighbors and neighborhood association. I would like to commend RoadWise for making this a project, as well as to the city and Mr. Peña's efforts. One thing I think I can speak for this neighborhood, we would like to see this plan integrated in the comprehensive plan that city council adopted in 1998. That was ten years ago the Spring/Cannon Street corridor plan. On a personal note I am greatly in favor of alternate two with maybe an expansion of alternate two, with the understanding as a consulting engineer myself the cost of right-of-way acquisitions prohibits many of these projects from being fully expanded to what they need to be. However, if that could be further explored into purchasing more right-of-way from the property occupied, I believe, by Hardee's on the western side of the street to allow a four lane would be certainly forward thinking so that we don't then have a problem and because still don't have the capacity five years from now and MUSC, and density down town continues to expand, which I believe is a good thing. The other thing that I think needs to be explored is the coordination and sequencing of signals in this area. As spoke about earlier, not just audible for Americans with disabilities, but to enhance the flow of traffic, and I sure this has been studied comprehensively by your group, to prevent as the Spring/Cannon corridor plan mandates the use of traditional historic pedestrian friendly streets namely Spring/Cannon Streets and the avenue that runs north-south from being utilized as an entrance and egress for the Medical University. Thank you.

Comment: My husband pretty much addressed most of the issues I was going to mention, thank you. The only other one that I wanted bring up was that I saw on your map that you had Cherry Street and it dead ends. I didn't know, taking that into account, if that were going to be used as an egress eventually, for I imagine when that new very large parking lot opens. That once the new parking lot opens, I think that we would certainly need three lanes on Courtenay and I agree that four lanes may even be the thing to do while doing it, if getting more property is an option at this time. Because the Medical University has plans for I think up to six new buildings in the next ten years. So, we are going to need the more road space we can get the better for the people coming and going.

Comment: I work for Roper-St. Francis Health Care. My question is about a piece of the project that we had heard from the MUSC, that may be a part of this phase of the work for Courtenay and its improvements. And that's intersection of Charleston Center Drive and Courtenay Drive. (If you could point at that the very right hand side of the screen, I thank you.) There are a lot of folks that walk down Charleston center and cross Courtenay there to go to work at both Roper Hospital and to cut across our property to go to MUSC as well. I was wondering if you could comment on I thought there was plans to put a signal there and a pedestrian crossing, and if those plans still exist and when that might occur if not part of this phase.

Response: Right now that project is not in the study area for roadway improvements, and for our signal improvements. The last signal improvement was-most southern-for Courtenay Drive and Doughty Street. We will certainly take your comments under advice and review that. This stage of the project as you have alluded to as Medical University continues to build out, there becomes more and more traffic entering and exiting the area at all times of the day. More and more need along with that to address that. This project has some potential for future phases to accommodate that traffic. Right now we have the amount of funding which has become available from the bond referendum program. We are trying to accomplish the most of what we can with those funds available.

Comment: I am a Civil Engineer representing some property on Bee Street, South Carolina Federal Credit Union. I know that's a little premature on your discussion tonight. What is the design timeline for Bee Street, because I know there's other on Bee Street improvements?

Response: Yes, we have just come to acknowledgment to extend the project from the south to Lockwood and we don't want it to impact the design schedule and we want to work to make sure the design work is kept the same as it is as best as possible. But we haven't even done a survey from Cherry to Lockwood.

Question: So there will be another forum to discuss details?

Response: No, we certainly would like to hear your comments here today. There hasn't been any commitment made yet to another public meeting.

Comment: Well, I had just seen this for the first time tonight I know the right-of-way would be an issue. I guest with additional right-of-way being acquired. And obviously, as was mentioned, drainage would be a major issue with that entire Bee street area. I know at one time the city was looking to relocating Cherry Street. Is that still a consideration, shifting Cherry Street to align it with Across 17? We were involved in the tunnel project with CPW that was the consideration we had to take into account.

Response: That was a part of the overall MUSC plan. What RoadWise is doing is a small piece of the overall plan. There other sections of it: Calhoun Street and connectors. You have high traffic on the cross town. So, the MUSC plans are still there. It's just that we are trying to do as much as they can with funding that they have available. So this doesn't mean that this project here is the end of this.

Comment: As I mentioned, drainage is a major issue in. I presume the road will be build up. Pile supported? I am sure funding does not allow that.

Response: We will make when we survey enough that we will not be taking the drainage problem from the middle of Bee Street and going to somewhere else. This project is not the end all-or fix all-for these drainage issues for this area.

Comment: I know the city has a tunnel extension and drop shaft planned for Bee Street, I don't know if that is being incorporated in this design. Of course they need money.

Question: Is there any consideration to putting in a traffic signal on Spring Street heading south at Courtenay Drive? Just for the fact that, being there five days a week, traffic can get going through at 50 mph. It's pretty high speed, it's a lot of people trying to cross four lanes of traffic, I was wondering if it would help some people out making a turning move.

Response: Signal installation goes through a process called warrants and they look at traffic volumes. They look at other factors such as an accident that has been is a factor whether signal is installed. It is a low volume of traffic that comes up Courtenay and makes that left hand turn. That low volume from our first study does not warrant it.

Question: Would you elaborate more on the currant flooding conditions; to what extent will this be discussed.

Response: Well until we have our survey done I can't give a precise answer on how well we will address this question. We will work to raise the grade in this area. Because this area is marsh fill, this area will continue to settle. Five years from now the area will be lower again. The mucky soil of the marsh area underneath goes down so far deep that there is not a lot of opportunity to improve that cost effectively. So, the problem will continue to exist is the future. We will reduce the severity and the frequency at which the flooding occurs. And we will also do work with the city in accordance with the overall plan of the city to resolve this drainage issues. So that means that the older pipes that are out there will not only let water in from the roadway, but also from the ground underneath that is saturated with water from water when the tide rises. And it means that it is very difficulty to maintain and operate a drainage system that leaks. So there are pipes installed that have a sealed system that will operate better under the roadway. That's the standards that they use now, like drop shafts and pump stations.

Comment: Make Courtney 2 lanes/one way east toward MUSC only for block in front of Hardees. Also, 4 lanes each way from HWY 17 North to Calhoun Street and EXTEND ACROSS CALHOUN AROUND ASHLEY HOUSE TO THE LIGHT AT THE MARINA ON LOCKWOOD.

Response: Currently, the project limits does not extend beyond Ralph Johnson Street. The project limits were set by mutual agreement among Charleston County Council, Veterans Administration officials and the City of Charleston. The total project budget for the area improvements is $2,300,000.00. We are trying to accomplish the most of what we can with those funds available.

Comment: Many residents of Wagener Terrace walk & ride bicycles to MUSC and CofC. Please make sidewalks over-sized. Please have bike lanes added. Please have audible street signals.

Response: The widening of Courtney Drive and Bee Street to four lanes will be accomplished within existing right of way. Currently we anticipated heavy pedestrian traffic in the area and will try to accommodate over-sized sidewalks where existing right of way is available. I can?t give a specific answer on whether or not an audible signal will be included with any or one or all of the traffic signals, but we will take a look at that, and work with the City of Charleston traffic department.

Comment: Having worked at MUSC for the last five years and riding the MUSC Bus system I have first hand observed the problems of two way traffic on Courtney. I feel that the one way designation is the most helpful to traffic flow. Once the new parking garage on Bee St. is open think of all the people coming out onto surface streets as the various shifts end. Thank you for the chance to speak.

Response: None

Comments: If this project sends more traffic onto Bee St., then Bee St. needs to be raised a couple of feet more above sea level. I avoid Bee St. during high tides.

Response: The project limits along Bee Street were extended from Cherry Street to Lockwood Drive. This extension will allow the grade to be raised to allow the installation of larger drainage structures to alleviate some of the flooding which occurs during heavy rainfall and high tides. We will reduce the severity and the frequency at which the flooding occurs. And we will also do work with the city in accordance with the overall plan of the city to resolve this drainage issues.