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WHAT?? Who is saying they've "never gone below the speed limit" since 17 widened, and that anything in MtP is only 15 minutes away???
We're talking Mount Pleasant....South Carolina, right?
My GF lives in the Madison apts in Park West. It takes me 30 minutes to get from there to the Town Center some days, and thats only 5-7 miles away. To go from Park West to the Ravenel Bridge, about 12 miles, anytime from noon-7pm takes me at least 30-45 minutes. Its one red light after another. In fact, Mt Pleasant is a smaller city than both Charleston and North Charleston, but seems to have worse traffic than both. So many red lights, and 17 should've have overpassed at Northcutt, Wando Crossing and 526. But for some reason the town didnt do that with all the construction, and now it jams up at those spots. Why with all this construction mess for 2 years, did they only do ONE overpass? They could've cut traffic jams by 50% more with more overpasses.
Its not Atlanta traffic. But people talking like Mt P traffic is just a fast flowing breezeway are either drunk, or haven't driven in Mt P.
I drove to Wando High School and back four times on Friday -- it never took me more than 15 minutes. Going south you have to add 5-10 minutes depending on the time of day.
According to the previous poster, since you've clearly driven in Mt P before, you're DRUNK
Really, what kind of example are you setting for the red heads??
OK, OK...lots of traffic talk since I posted...but I'm back home now (and it's 22 degrees outside).
We visited MP on a Sunday and Monday (MLK day). We found the traffic lighter - but still got heavy in some areas and the lights are LONG to make turns, etc. I can only imagine that it gets backed up at times. People run red lights a lot (and no wonder - they don't want to sit through them!). bridge is a cinch and 526 and 26 were wide open and moving at a good clip.
Correctly, we found that we have no interest in being above say, Ravens Run area...for us, it's just too far out and away from Charleston proper.
Places we visited:
Scott's Creek: being built, weren't impressed by builder, lots on the smaller side (for us)
Seaside: lots too small, too big of a development for us. We would rather just have houses, not town homes, and houses and etc. Nicely done though, just not us.
Cassina Plantation: we liked this smaller, older neighborhood with large lots a lot. Very quiet and had a nice charm to it.
Back Bay Estates: nice houses, some on the water, didn't really like the older neighborhood that you have to drive through to get to it...lots of carports, parked trailers, etc.
Ravens Run: gated, but looked nice...very chi-chi. Might go back and look with realtor. Lots of homes listed back there with 1+ acre.
I'on: ah, no. Really gorgeous homes (I give credit to the builders for making them all different and authentic looking), but the houses are way too close together and $$$ for what you are getting (again, my opinion). But a very well-done place. Didn't like all the cars parked on the side of the narrow roads.
Daniel Island: drove in and started humming the theme from The Twilight Zone. I know people that LOVE this place, but it was not for us. Didn't like the town homes there (compared to I'on they are ugly - again, my opinion) and the houses, while nice, are right next to each other and $$$ for what we would want. Still, neat place since they have everything you could possibly need without leaving the island. I "get it", just not for us.
Alston Farms/Darrell Creek: way out...too way out. Lots of construction access roads - might be nice when it's all done someday, but not for us. But, there's where you can get a big ole lot and have lots of area for your dogs/kids/etc. If there wasn't so much of a draw for us southward (for kids, schools, etc.) then this area/Dunes West/Park West is the place to be.
Old Village: wow. Kids all off from school and selling lemonade on the side of the street...really nice. Really expensive. really expensive if you want something that isn't a potential "historic money-pit".
Where we are:
Love Old Village. Liked Cassina a lot and maybe Raven's Run. Concerned over distance (reality) from these areas to say, West Ashley (near Porter-Gaud) and what the commute would be like in the AM and school time afternoon. Need to check out independent schools in MP areas...anyone have a thought on that? (besides a debate about why parents send their kids to private vs. public schools)
Impressed that we left MP and were sitting having cocktails in downtown Charleston within 15 minutes, parking and all. Similarly, we went out to Isle of Palms and nearly doubled over at how close the beach was. Wow.
Love the people. Friendly as all get out. Everyone waves. Kids don't act like crazed animals when you go into restaurants. Lots of Ravens fans - even found a Ravens lovin' bar downtown.
Everything you could ever want or need is in MP. Don't even need to go to the mall. Lots of independent stores as well as the big boxes. There is a bit of a "sprawl" feeling on 17. Liked the frontage roads - that has to take an edge off (once you figure them out).
Love the trees. Love Page's Okra Grill
There it is...any thoughts or direction always helps. This forum has been a tremendous help to us. Thank you.
PS - when is MP at it's busiest (touristy time)? I'd like to go back then and see the difference.
Really enjoyed and appreciated all that you just wrote.
Too many 'question asking out of town posters' simply asking that single question i.e. "What is the best area for me?" Many answers were all addressed in numerous previous posts if they ever did a little research and looked for them as opposed to asking that usual single question.
Appreciated the feedback on what you found and the time you took and details to write it all.
True tourist season is June to August. I think you only really notice the tourists at the beach and downtown, Shem Creek and at the Pig or Target at Seaside Farms. You don't really notice them elsewhere. Like most communities, traffic during the summer months is a little lighter so the extra tourists really don't add to the traffic.
There are other subdivisions -- Harbour Watch, Creekside, Hobcaw Point and Hobcaw Creek for example, that may have larger lots. A good agent will know exactly which ones have the size lot you want. There are other great subdivisions, older, bigger lots --problem is homes are never for sale....Cliffwood Drive off of Coleman for example. AND some of these don't have community pools.
WHAT?? Who is saying they've "never gone below the speed limit" since 17 widened, and that anything in MtP is only 15 minutes away???
We're talking Mount Pleasant....South Carolina, right?
My GF lives in the Madison apts in Park West. It takes me 30 minutes to get from there to the Town Center some days, and thats only 5-7 miles away. To go from Park West to the Ravenel Bridge, about 12 miles, anytime from noon-7pm takes me at least 30-45 minutes. Its one red light after another.
Noon-7pm, huh?
Today at 3:08 I reached the foot of the Ravel Bridge driving north. At 3:23 I was at the light by Wando High School on Hwy17. As you probably know this is the last light driving north on Hwy17 in Mount Pleasant. So in a SOLID 15 minutes I went from one end to the other...pretty much exactly 10 miles. I stopped at a handful of the 17 lights between the bridge and Wando, and there were cars around me in all three lanes the entire way. We even traveled below the speed limit in some sections, and went at least the speed limit approximately 75% of the time in my estimation.
Also, keep in mind that the speed limit is 45 along that entire route. The pre-construction speed limit was 50 & 55, and I have no doubt it will go back up to the same once the road work is done. That should speed things up even more.
As a contrast to what I experienced first-hand this afternoon in MtP, let's start from the foot of the Ravenel Bridge on the Charleston side and travel south. The same 10 miles puts you at the intersection of Main Road and Hwy17. Along that route there are, I think, 26 stop lights. That's about 55% more lights along the same distance of the same highway as MtP.
Of course any area around here will back up during the rush, but to make such a blanket statement as, "To go from Park West to the Ravenel Bridge, about 12 miles, anytime from noon-7pm takes me at least 30-45 minutes. Its one red light after another." is quite misleading to anyone seeking the truth.
At 12:30 today we had to drive to the park by the bridge in MtP. From the interior of Park West (actually from the PW Blvd/GreyMarsh circle) it took 17 minutes to get to the park.
Just wanted to provide another example of real world driving times.
At 12:30 today we had to drive to the park by the bridge in MtP. From the interior of Park West (actually from the PW Blvd/GreyMarsh circle) it took 17 minutes to get to the park.
Just wanted to provide another example of real world driving times.
Today at 3:08 I reached the foot of the Ravel Bridge driving north. At 3:23 I was at the light by Wando High School on Hwy17. As you probably know this is the last light driving north on Hwy17 in Mount Pleasant. So in a SOLID 15 minutes I went from one end to the other...pretty much exactly 10 miles. I stopped at a handful of the 17 lights between the bridge and Wando, and there were cars around me in all three lanes the entire way. We even traveled below the speed limit in some sections, and went at least the speed limit approximately 75% of the time in my estimation.
Also, keep in mind that the speed limit is 45 along that entire route. The pre-construction speed limit was 50 & 55, and I have no doubt it will go back up to the same once the road work is done. That should speed things up even more.
As a contrast to what I experienced first-hand this afternoon in MtP, let's start from the foot of the Ravenel Bridge on the Charleston side and travel south. The same 10 miles puts you at the intersection of Main Road and Hwy17. Along that route there are, I think, 26 stop lights. That's about 55% more lights along the same distance of the same highway as MtP.
Of course any area around here will back up during the rush, but to make such a blanket statement as, "To go from Park West to the Ravenel Bridge, about 12 miles, anytime from noon-7pm takes me at least 30-45 minutes. Its one red light after another." is quite misleading to anyone seeking the truth.
I dont know, maybe you're a realtor on this site looking for customers who are moving to the area. But, to say you can get from the Ravenel Bridge to Wando High in 15 minutes any weekday (non-holiday) is simply false. If you did, you need to buy lottery tickets, because you must have hit every single green light on the 17 journey.
But with all the building going on, all Mt P did was widen their belt before eating 20 cheeseburgers. Traffic in MtP is a nightmare, always has been, always will be.
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- even found a Ravens lovin' bar downtown.
I dont know, maybe you're a realtor on this site looking for customers who are moving to the area. But, to say you can get from the Ravenel Bridge to Wando High in 15 minutes any weekday (non-holiday) is simply false. If you did, you need to buy lottery tickets, because you must have hit every single green light on the 17 journey.
