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Really? Myrtle is "more in touch" over Charleston? I love Myrtle, we go once a year. But what does Myrtle have over Charleston other than more retail and more tourists? In Charleston for instance we have a more consistent style. Myrtle the zoning is a mess. I love playing "count the strip clubs" because they seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Charleston has traffic issues, but so does Myrtle, even out of the summer. Myrtle Beach is not anymore "in touch with the times" when compared to Charleston. They are South Carolina's Disneyland, but that's the what the city is built for and why most of who live there don't complain. Charleston is the state's "cultural center" and people feel the culture is threatened, so everybody here loves to complain.
You're taking one small piece of Charleston (Johns Island) and blanketing the entire metro. And can you really fault the city/SCDOT? It's the residents that didn't want it - to preserve the island - and look what's happening without the highway. Everywhere has it's share of nimby's.
I've only been to Virginia Beach one time, but by what all I've seen, outside of the strip of beach it doesn't look like much more than one large suburb.
But you're free to go wherever you want. Just know that no city/region is issue free. But if this is how you really feel, Gulf Coast Florida sounds more like your thing than Myrtle...
I think you are missing one very important aspect- Myrtle Beach has been addressing its traffic and development short falls for the past 20 years. There are several bypasses/connectors: Conway bypass that goes all the way to North Myrtle: a route from the North Strand to Socastee that parallels the waterway and is set to extend further south & across the waterway; a parkway that cuts from the airport through the center of Myrtle beach and over to Carolina forest (that will be carried all the way to highway 90/Conway soon.) Little by little they are chipping away at their traffic needs while we sit on our hands.
I also do not think the Charleston area is one ounce more coherent than Myrtle Beach. Downtown and DI definitely are and a portion of Mt Pleasant and Summerville. But James Island, West Ashley, Goose Creek, outer Summerville and a portions of Mt Pleasant look no better. North Charleston looks worse.
Also most people on John's Island want 526. Its a limited but vocal group of people trying to save the character of an area that has already been subdivided into oblivion that have declared themselves champions of rural life. And to be hones they sure as heck wouldn't live in the poverty that was rampant on Johns Island before development picked up.
And as someone that lives in West Ashley I can assure you Johns Island traffic is killing quality of life for everyone who lives on Folly Road or 17 (close in or far out.) Windemere is now a borderline parking lot as is the stretch of Folly between the connector and Maybank.
Our status as cultural center is also hurting as we are not funding arts at the level people expect.
Not only should 526 already be completed but we should already be working on an outer loop starting north of 41 in Mt P and carrying over the rivers and past 26 into Dorchester.
And as someone that lives in West Ashley I can assure you Johns Island traffic is killing quality of life for everyone who lives on Folly Road or 17 (close in or far out.) Windemere is now a borderline parking lot as is the stretch of Folly between the connector and Maybank.
Our status as cultural center is also hurting as we are not funding arts at the level people expect.
Not only should 526 already be completed but we should already be working on an outer loop starting north of 41 in Mt P and carrying over the rivers and past 26 into Dorchester.
Yes, as someone who commutes 17 to folly rd from work in the evenings, I can attest the traffic has grown unbearable to what it was even just a short 4 years ago. The growth of West Ashley and John's Island has created a domino effect that has caused traffic to back up all the way to the 26 off ramp for the Crosstown.
I'm now at the point where I need my work schedule to flex around traffic patterns, much like life before in the DC area and that is kind of disappointing to me.
I think you are missing one very important aspect- Myrtle Beach has been addressing its traffic and development short falls for the past 20 years. There are several bypasses/connectors: Conway bypass that goes all the way to North Myrtle: a route from the North Strand to Socastee that parallels the waterway and is set to extend further south & across the waterway; a parkway that cuts from the airport through the center of Myrtle beach and over to Carolina forest (that will be carried all the way to highway 90/Conway soon.) Little by little they are chipping away at their traffic needs while we sit on our hands.
Because like I said...no one in Myrtle complains. There's no real opposition to extend Carolina Bays PKWY. Myrtle isn't as generational as Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, and even Spartanburg, and doesn't have the history of those cities, so there isn't much to preserve. Myrtle Beach is also relatively new for South Carolina standards. That's one reason it was passed up for I-95 and I-20. State leaders felt Florence was going to be the economic engine of the Pee Dee and MB was going to stay a sleepy beach town. Heck in 1970, Georgetown and Conway were larger than Myrtle Beach.
Leaders soon realized what Myrtle and the Grand Strand was capable of in terms of the state economy and that's is why road infrastructure started to boom so much and is taking so many strides. That and the rapid growth that people in MB don't complain about as much as the people in Chas.
And again about Cola, Chas, Gville, and Spartanburg - with Myrtle since it was much smaller and less developed, there was much more open room for more paths, and still is. Plus Myrtle doesn't have the rivers, peninsula, and any real land lock issues that Charleston has. Building bridges and overpasses also aren't cheap. Charleston needs those, Myrtle doesn't, except to go over the skinny intracostal waterway really.
I also do not think the Charleston area is one ounce more coherent than Myrtle Beach. Downtown and DI definitely are and a portion of Mt Pleasant and Summerville. But James Island, West Ashley, Goose Creek, outer Summerville and a portions of Mt Pleasant look no better. North Charleston looks worse.
I was speaking mostly on Charleston, but those are their own cities so of course the metro is not going to be uniform. No metro is. DI was built by a private developer, so they were able to make it look however they wanted. Mount Pleasant is "newer" than N Charleston, West Ashley, and James Island so of course there's less to "fix up."
And you also have to look at what each was built/zoned for. N Charleston is the industrial and logistic hub, and a lot of housing was built accordingly. So of course N Chas isn't going to look as nice. Goose Creek was built as a large suburb so it's not supposed to be anything special.
Even then, there's still more uniformity. Mt P and WA have a consistent style across the board. So does Goose Creek with it's suburban-ness. Downtown is downtown. James Island has a unique "suburban island" feel, etc. Zoning is not equal so of course there's some randomness here and there, but Myrtle for the most part has always given off a "hey if it can fit, you can build it" look. That doesn't just include buildings, but residential and billboards as well. That's just my personal opinion. Charleston doesn't have that look.
Also most people on John's Island want 526. Its a limited but vocal group of people trying to save the character of an area that has already been subdivided into oblivion that have declared themselves champions of rural life. And to be hones they sure as heck wouldn't live in the poverty that was rampant on Johns Island before development picked up.
I understand most people want it, but the minority has still been able to leverage everything so that helps nothing.
And as someone that lives in West Ashley I can assure you Johns Island traffic is killing quality of life for everyone who lives on Folly Road or 17 (close in or far out.) Windemere is now a borderline parking lot as is the stretch of Folly between the connector and Maybank.
I'm not disagreeing with you. My gf used to live off Folly Road and I'm in WA all the time, like yesterday (where some lady with a NC tag almost ran me off Sav Hwy near Fielding connector). I have tried to go to Folly Beach on beach days and it sucks. Backed up the entire way. I even made the mistake of going to Staples in Windermere and picking up business cards at 5pm and i will never make that mistake again.
But that's a mix of poor (and confusing) road design, geographic issues, nimbyism, funding issues, lack of oversight, and growing pains. Every city has the issues, and think about it: it could be worse. People in LA will still be snailing along at 7pm. By 7pm tonight you'll be able to drag race down Folly Road.
But I understand that's no excuse. Something needs to be done and these issues need to be addressed. People here who've grown up here are just not used to this crowd and this out of nowhere growth. This is all new.
Our status as cultural center is also hurting as we are not funding arts at the level people expect.
Well I wasn't talking just literal "culture." Though I do feel we're doing alright in the museum, theater, gallery, live show, symphony, and festival department. Charleston is only so big, we can only handle so much.
But just this month alone we've had SEWE, Fashion Week, and Food and Wine. Gaillard is booking events, the farmers market is back next month, theres some expos like the Cajun one coming, and Spoleto is not far away. We're doing good with culture.
Not only should 526 already be completed but we should already be working on an outer loop starting north of 41 in Mt P and carrying over the rivers and past 26 into Dorchester.
I agree. Hopefully somebody wakes up before it's too late. I say this a lot, but Charleston should have learned from Atlanta since it seems we're making the same mistakes, but there's no changing some people. And you gotta have the money to make it happen.
Meh, what good is a widening and completion of a highway when it's just going to be clogged up by idiot drivers, with the mental capacity of a woodchip, wrecking their cars. The drivers here are easily the dumbest I've ever seen in my life. By far.
Houston says 'hi!' Also there's San Antonio, the only place I've seen people pass other cars on a bridge in the space between the far left lane and the concrete dividing wall.
Houston says 'hi!' Also there's San Antonio, the only place I've seen people pass other cars on a bridge in the space between the far left lane and the concrete dividing wall.
Hehe, maybe we can extend it to drivers in the South then.
I think you are missing one very important aspect- Myrtle Beach has been addressing its traffic and development short falls for the past 20 years. There are several bypasses/connectors: Conway bypass that goes all the way to North Myrtle: a route from the North Strand to Socastee that parallels the waterway and is set to extend further south & across the waterway; a parkway that cuts from the airport through the center of Myrtle beach and over to Carolina forest (that will be carried all the way to highway 90/Conway soon.) Little by little they are chipping away at their traffic needs while we sit on our hands.
I also do not think the Charleston area is one ounce more coherent than Myrtle Beach. Downtown and DI definitely are and a portion of Mt Pleasant and Summerville. But James Island, West Ashley, Goose Creek, outer Summerville and a portions of Mt Pleasant look no better. North Charleston looks worse.
Also most people on John's Island want 526. Its a limited but vocal group of people trying to save the character of an area that has already been subdivided into oblivion that have declared themselves champions of rural life. And to be hones they sure as heck wouldn't live in the poverty that was rampant on Johns Island before development picked up.
And as someone that lives in West Ashley I can assure you Johns Island traffic is killing quality of life for everyone who lives on Folly Road or 17 (close in or far out.) Windemere is now a borderline parking lot as is the stretch of Folly between the connector and Maybank.
Our status as cultural center is also hurting as we are not funding arts at the level people expect.
Not only should 526 already be completed but we should already be working on an outer loop starting north of 41 in Mt P and carrying over the rivers and past 26 into Dorchester.
Really? Myrtle is "more in touch" over Charleston? I love Myrtle, we go once a year. But what does Myrtle have over Charleston other than more retail and more tourists? In Charleston for instance we have a more consistent style. Myrtle the zoning is a mess. I love playing "count the strip clubs" because they seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Charleston has traffic issues, but so does Myrtle, even out of the summer. Myrtle Beach is not anymore "in touch with the times" when compared to Charleston. They are South Carolina's Disneyland, but that's the what the city is built for and why most of who live there don't complain. Charleston is the state's "cultural center" and people feel the culture is threatened, so everybody here loves to complain.
You're taking one small piece of Charleston (Johns Island) and blanketing the entire metro. And can you really fault the city/SCDOT? It's the residents that didn't want it - to preserve the island - and look what's happening without the highway. Everywhere has it's share of nimby's.
I've only been to Virginia Beach one time, but by what all I've seen, outside of the strip of beach it doesn't look like much more than one large suburb.
But you're free to go wherever you want. Just know that no city/region is issue free. But if this is how you really feel, Gulf Coast Florida sounds more like your thing than Myrtle...
Thank you for your reply man. I guess It is just what people are used to. I grew up in Va. Beach, so I know it well. It is a giant suburb, and it is a nice place with developed roads and interstates. I like that better than the roads here for sure.
I still like Myrtle Beach and Va. Beach better than Charleston because I love the beach and Beach towns and cities, like you said Charleston is cultural , not know for its beaches.
But, maybe, I just need to move off Johns Island. It's a beautiful place , but I might just need to move over the Stono Bridge, since they are sooooooo slow with getting I-526 completed!
Thank you for your reply man. I guess It is just what people are used to. I grew up in Va. Beach, so I know it well. It is a giant suburb, and it is a nice place with developed roads and interstates. I like that better than the roads here for sure.
Better Virginia money, and theyre better off geographically. So yes better roads, but also more people. 450K people in VA Beach alone versus 750K in the whole Chas metro. And that doesnt include tourists and other Hampton Roads residents who travel to VAB for the beach.
I still like Myrtle Beach and Va. Beach better than Charleston because I love the beach and Beach towns and cities, like you said Charleston is cultural , not know for its beaches.
I never said that. Charleston has 3 great public beaches, all distinct. Yall are taking my use of "culture" too artsy. South Carolina, and Charleston specifically, is culturally synonymous with beaches, islands and the water. And thatll never change.
Charleston may not look or feel like a beach town, but Folly, Sullivans, and IOP are and are close enough.
But, maybe, I just need to move off Johns Island. It's a beautiful place , but I might just need to move over the Stono Bridge, since they are sooooooo slow with getting I-526 completed!
This is the whole point Im trying to make. Dont paint the entire metro with a broad brush because of Johns Islands mistakes.
If the Charleston area is not for you then its not for you and you want to go wherever youre happy. Just remember there is more to Charleston than Johns Island.
"Just remember there is more to Charleston than Johns Island."
That sums it up, Coastal. I know you're frustrated with living on Johns Isl (and I don't blame you) but don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Depending on where you work and budget, James Isl or West Ashley might work for you much better and you could still be close enough to the beach to be a "Coastal Bum".
That said, I know you're not unfamiliar with the rest of Charleston and if somewhere else is calling you then somewhere else is calling you. I've advocated the pro's and con's list technique on the forum before and it sounds like it might be a good exercise for you on this situation. Put it on paper so you can see the whole picture all at once and it might become clearer.
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