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I'm planning on moving to Charleston-metro area in the future from NJ and I looked at your rankings in terms of traffic and I'm not seeing any rankings of Charleston in the top 10 or top 25 worst congested cities. I'm just totally guessing at this point but I think maybe your traffic isn't any worse than a typical mid-sized city like Jersey City during rush hour.
I had to look at top 50 congested to find Charleston. According to this one, North Charleston is ranked #37 in the nation. This one has you ranked North Charleston at #40 in the nation.
The entire United States has some serious traffic problems, maybe when Trump introduces an infrastructure bill, that is what is needed to fix the problem. But that's probably a solution that will take 5-10 years to go into effect.
I guess the point being as bad as you got it, there's about 3 dozen cities that are worse than you.
Traffic can't compare to the likes of ATL, LA, or SF, but then again, we aren't big like those cities. Severity of traffic depends on where you need to get to and what time of day you're traveling. Generally, it's not really that bad, but when there is an accident, your 15 min commute may turn into a 90+ min one. And If a bridge closes...well, then you might as well drive back to work and sleep in your office.
Last edited by fluffypoopoo; 07-09-2018 at 11:20 AM..
For its population, Charleston (as the whole state) has horrible traffic problems. Mostly due to the lack of revenue the state DOT has to expand and repair our roads and bridges. SC was decades late keeping up with maintenance and expansion. Just look at I-26, the medians were never kept mowed, resulting in 50 years of tree growth right up the the shoulder of the interstate highway! Yes, they have finally remove the trees but it took dozens of people getting killed by hitting trees at 70 mph.
When I move away (after I retire) it will be someplace that puts a little more priority on highway infrastructure and safety.
The real reason the traffic is bad is because of mindless planning over the last 20 years!! Charleston has grown, and the roads have not! Very few road improvements, still one lane roads on the islands, and more and more commercial properties and apartments being built nonstop. This is the reason for traffic ! Too many cars and not enough road!
Blame state legislators. Even streets that many assume are under city or county jurisdiction, like the vast majority of them, are actually the DOT’s neglected babies.
Our state legislature is provincial and caters mainly to city haters and haters of all jurisdictions other than those in rural areas. And infrastructure funding seems harder to come by in some metros than others, depending on which metros have legislatures with the most power. The Charleston area’s current legislative power isn’t what it was a decade or so ago.
Blame state legislators. Even streets that many assume are under city or county jurisdiction, like the vast majority of them, are actually the DOT’s neglected babies.
Our state legislature is provincial and caters mainly to city haters and haters of all jurisdictions other than those in rural areas. And infrastructure funding seems harder to come by in some metros than others, depending on which metros have legislatures with the most power. The Charleston area’s current legislative power isn’t what it was a decade or so ago.
Charleston's other big problems is that the residents not only protest but throw multi-year fits over any effort to improve the local roads. If I have the chance to assign $ to Charleston where everything will be delayed or abandoned at the behest of a gaggle or Karens or somewhere else that will get an actual move on- I go with the latter. Look at Conway-Myrtle Beach that built about 3 additional bridges and three sets of bypasses in literally 1/3 the time Charleston has argued over the Mark Clark. And often federal/state $ are still administered locally through grants.
I can’t believe the high percentage of social media comments in the Charleston area that demand 0 growth of any kind - buildings, roads, people, name it. The nostalgia for the old days is in overdrive here.
Charleston's other big problems is that the residents not only protest but throw multi-year fits over any effort to improve the local roads. If I have the chance to assign $ to Charleston where everything will be delayed or abandoned at the behest of a gaggle or Karens or somewhere else that will get an actual move on- I go with the latter. Look at Conway-Myrtle Beach that built about 3 additional bridges and three sets of bypasses in literally 1/3 the time Charleston has argued over the Mark Clark. And often federal/state $ are still administered locally through grants.
I can't give you a plus rating. but I agree with you.
For its population, Charleston (as the whole state) has horrible traffic problems. Mostly due to the lack of revenue the state DOT has to expand and repair our roads and bridges. SC was decades late keeping up with maintenance and expansion. Just look at I-26, the medians were never kept mowed, resulting in 50 years of tree growth right up the the shoulder of the interstate highway! Yes, they have finally remove the trees but it took dozens of people getting killed by hitting trees at 70 mph.
When I move away (after I retire) it will be someplace that puts a little more priority on highway infrastructure and safety.
Good luck.
Infrastructure is expensive and I don't know of any community that can build it for future traffic.
Our roads can definitely stand to be improved, but roads are always a trailing indicator of growth. If we want to improve traffic, we need to rethink zoning and density — especially in the suburbs.
The problem is that the only "density" residents in the suburbs ever see are massive apartment complexes being built further and further away from everything.
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