Everybody wants it better, faster, safer and more often. (We’re talking about transit here.)
Materials for the May 1, 2012 Stop the CARTA Cuts Demonstration provided by www.supporttransit.org
In November 2012 Bus Transit Riders East of the Cooper will have a major opportunity to improve the quality of their experience for themselves and the growing number of riders in our area, which has increased about 74% on the 40 in the past five years as of August, 2012. As road work is completed and a national election is held, we’re at an inflection point on policy and investment when it pays to speak up. East Cooper needs a safe, accessible stops on routes which run on time and ways to cross our new roads which don’t get riders killed. We cannot accept a 140 million dollar road improvement projects which degrades bus service in our community.
Speak up for Better Routes & Stops on Nov. 13
In response to ridership trends, including disappointing results on the 402 Island Flex and parts of the 401 East Cooper Connector Route, CARTA has begun a process of redeploying transit capacity East of the Cooper. Linda Page was successful in making sure we retained all the capacity we have now, but the Islands will probably lose their Flex Bus service and the 401 route will be changed. The 40 will probably be adjusted in response to changes in the road system. The Express may continue unchanged, but needs better support infrastructure. Four different options are being considered. See the consultant’s CARTA East Cooper Analysis report (PDF).
We need to be sure that quality of operation issues don’t get ignored and that the new routes and stops are designed to serve riders safely, which includes being sure that crossings at the massive, new intersections on Johnnie Dodds Blvd. are as safe as possible and can be avoided to the extent possible. We expect a public hearing this winter, probably during or near the holidays when participating may be low. Lets make sure riders, the real experts, get heard so we get stops and routes which really work.
What we’re going to do in November
- Help us spread this and other information to community leaders. We’ve already presented our Fall Report to the CARTA Board, which we also made available to the media. Read and help distribute our Fall 2012 Report to the CARTA Board.
- Speak to members of the Charleston County Legislative Delegation, Charleston County Council (some running for reelection) and Mount Pleasant Town Council.
- Please sign our online petition for Better Routes and Stops East of the Cooper (available soon).
- Join us at Mount Pleasant Town Council on Nov. 13 for the public comment period.
- Email us at wjhamilton29464@gmail.com or call 843 870-5299 with your input or feedback. Interact on our Hungryneck Straphangers Facebook Page. Unfortunately the comments at the bottom of this page don’t work properly due to a flood of spam.
Speak out at Mount Pleasant Town Council on Nov. 13
We’re asking everyone who can to join us on Tuesday, November 13 at 6 pm during the public comment period at Mount Pleasant Town Council to make sure that public attention is focused on making sure we have safe, accessible bus stops on the new Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Town Hall is located at 100 Ann Edwards Lane, off Houston Northcutt Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. You can sign up to join us Nov. 13 on Facebook.
Thanks to the millions of people who talke to candidates and participated in the votetransit.org effort in this election. We distributed over 1000 information cards here in Charleston and assisted a successful transit referendum effort in Richland County and Columbia, SC in partnership with the SC Progressive Network, Amalgamated Transit Union and Americans for Transit. Hungryneck Straphangers was the first pro transit organization to start activity on the ground in Columbia after the massive transit cuts there last Spring.
Lets make sure that seven years of promises about a transit enabled Johnnie Dodds Blvd. here in Mount Pleasant get kept before the work is over, the concrete is hard and the money is gone.
