BCD-COG Traffic Maps
In
early January of 2007, the Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Council
of Governments (BCD-COG) ran traffic model maps, showing the
West Ashley and Johns Island region in 2030, both with the Mark
Clark and without the Mark Clark. Both maps take into account population
growth, the CHATS Existing and Committed Road Projects, and Half
Cent Sales Tax improvements. The image shown here, titled, Map
1, shows the network of roads in West Ashley and Johns Island.
The circles on the map indicate where failing levels of roadway
are by 2030. Notice that some areas are circled in red.
These
areas are circled in red to indicate the areas that the Mark Clark has
been purported to improve traffic. Therefore, when the Mark Clark is
added into the model, most of these circles should dissapear, indicating
that traffic on these roads improves due to the construction of the Mark
Clark. Scroll down to see the second map, and to see whether or
not the Mark Clark improves traffic West of the Ashley......
Unfortunately, not much changes on the map when the COG adds the Mark Clark
into the model. Note that the only improvement that comes from the Mark Clark
is on Johns Island, on Main Road. However, the congestion on Main Road
simply shifts down to Bohicket road- thus the net improvement affected by the
Mark Clark is ZERO.
Notice that ALL of the red circles on the map are still there after the
Mark Clark is built, meaning that the specific congestion areas that the Mark
Clark is supposed to address are not helped AT ALL by this 420 million dollar
piece of infrastructure.
So the answer to the question, "Should we spend 420 million dollars on the
Mark Clark extension?" is a resounding "NO!"
(The BCD COG is our own local planning office. These maps were produced by the
COG, and were interpreted by them. No other parties influenced the interpretation
of these maps. )
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