Today, Charleston Mayor John J. Tecklenburg sent a letter to Charleston County Council Chairman Vic Rawl urging County Council to move forward with plans to “fund, design, and construct both the northern and southern pitchforks,” for Maybank Highway on Johns Island.
The letter is attached and the text is copied below.
For the better part of a decade, residents on Johns Island have demanded that both the city and county heed their call for traffic relief. Over the past few months, there has been unprecedented coordination and collaboration between City of Charleston, Charleston County staff, property owners, and residents regarding the northern and southern pitchforks.
Our soon-to-be-completed Citywide Transportation Plan has shown upwards of 22,000 vehicles a day along Maybank with projections in 2040 as high as 33,000, according to the Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Council of Governments CHATS travel demand modeling. If we are going to be serious about better connectivity and relieving traffic for Johns Island residents, we need to move forward with both the northern and southern pitchforks as well as embrace future complete street improvements to Maybank from River Road to Southwick Drive. The city's position is not an "either/or" but a "both/and."
Tonight, we ask that as you review the recommendation from the Finance Committee that you give credence to the collaborative efforts that have already taken place and move expeditiously to appropriately fund, design, and construct both the northern and southern pitchforks.
We know that these improvements are overdue and we as the City of Charleston stand ready to work with Charleston County to bring a better quality of life for Johns Island.