Folly Beach Gives a Green Light to Major Pedestrian Safety Improvements for Arctic Avenue
In a significant advancement in local road safety, Folly Beach is making progress towards a key pedestrian safety initiative. The City Council has approved the first reading of the upcoming year’s budget, around $17 million, with a substantial portion targeted to fund various municipal works projects. These initiatives prioritize the safety of both drivers and pedestrians.
A Focus on Arctic Avenue
Arctic Avenue, characteristically bustling with cars, pedestrians, golf carts, and cyclists, has been earmarked for upgrades. As the primary thoroughfare before beach access, city leaders have been planning to enhance safety on this stretch for years. Following this recent development in budget allocation, the commencement of the project now looms ever closer.
Folly Beach Mayor, Tim Goodwin, avowed: “The first five or six blocks is the most critical area – that’s what gets the most use. As this comes in, we’ll be doing it in steps. It won’t all be done in a year or two years or three years.”
Anticipated Improvements
The initial approval has been provided for a transformative project on Arctic Avenue. This entails the conversion of the existing dual carriageway to a single-lane roadway with the addition of elevated crosswalks. Furthermore, specially assigned paths for pedestrians and cyclists are to be established – all primary improvements assumed to make a significant impact on safety and ease of movement along the local street.
Voicing the community’s support for the initiative, local resident, Anne Nidiffer stated: “I was walking here the other weekend with my friend, and we were walking in the road and then on sidewalks. It’s not like a designated area for people to walk, so I think that would help.”
Project Budget and Local Reaction
The city looks to dedicate between $7 to $10 million to the overall project. Longtime residents of Folly Beach feel this investment is proof that their safety concerns are being addressed. As local resident Andy McClellan says, “If you look behind you, look at the foot traffic, it’s constant up and down. I’m excited about anything they can do to make it safer.”
The Next Steps
With funding now allocated, engineers are now examining the design and securing necessary permits for the project. The project team is concurrently working on a grant application to buttress necessary funds. While the exact start date for the project is yet to be determined, the approval of the first reading of the budget infuses substantial momentum into the proposed plans for Arctic Avenue.
