Here’s a novel approach – how about listening to the experts, those who put their lives on the line each day. After all, it is about public safety and not convenience or personal preference.
The Isle of Palms Public Safety Committee, consisting of Council members Jimmy Ward – The new chair – Blair Hahn and Jan Anderson, recommended option 3 for re-striping the IOP connector. They also suggested additional safety measures – always a good thing – and recommended they send it to the full Council for approval. Out of the three committee members, unfortunately, Anderson was the only one who voted against the recommendation.
The experts in the room, Police Chief Kevin Cornett and Fire Chief Craig Oliverius, made the recommendation that a change be made in the interest of public safety. Both departments support having an emergency lane on the connector for the safety of our first responders and those who utilize the connector. This view was also supported by Deputy Charleston County Administrator Eric Watson, who oversees emergency services in our county.
One of the measures that was recommended was a safety rail for the bike/pedestrian lane and a hard barrier between the bike/pedestrian lane and the vehicle lanes. This was to ensure the bridge complies with SCDOT’s safety standards and regulations. Due to the fact that sharing roads with pedestrians, automobiles, bicyclists and emergency vehicles has increased and will continue to do so, regardless of the location, there are plenty of choices when it comes to barriers and additional safety measures. Also, the ability to keep the Connector free of debris must be considered.
Council member Hahn stated that “one injury or death on the Connector is one too many,” and that deaths and serious injuries that have occurred on the Connector since its inception. Choosing convenience over safety is not only unacceptable, but it may also actually border on willful and knowing negligence and undeniably will be putting all citizens and responders at risk. Having volunteered my time working as a captain – IOP Fire – for the past 16+ years, side by side with the extraordinary team of fire personnel and police officers on our island, we, as residents owe them not only a debt of gratitude but the responsibility of never putting them in danger when their job is to render aid, especially when danger can be knowingly avoided.
Lastly, and I’ve said this many times over the last two decades, we have incredible partners in Mount Pleasant who come to our aid, as we do theirs. Council, you might want to consider their input and contribution to this solution. It affects them almost as much as it affects us.
As a great human and orator once stated, “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they've tried everything else.” Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.