SCLCA Action Alert!

H.3656 is the “Complete Streets bill” in the South Carolina House of Representatives. The bill simply tells SCDOT to pass a state Complete Streets policy, in very simple language. There is another, complementary campaign occurring by the SC Livable Communities Alliance (facilitated by PCC) to compel the SCDOT commissioners and agency to pass a real complete streets policy, with substance, which improves the safety of people walking and bicycling, through a combined targeted and systemic approach. H.3656 is critical to help our efforts with SCDOT.

Before Tuesday, please contact any or all members of the Transportation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education & Public Works, in support of H.3656.

• Chairman Tommy Stringer  (R-Greenville) | (803) 212-6881
• Rep. Terry Alexander  (D-Florence) | (803) 734-3004
• Rep. Robert Brown (D-Charleston) | (803) 734-3170
• Rep. Paula Calhoon (R-Lexington) | (803) 212-6924
• Rep. Tim McGinnis (R-Horry) | (803) 212-6935

Before Tuesday, we suggest you tell them this:

1. Move H.3656, the complete streets bill, to full committee.
2. Safe mobility is important.
3. Safe mobility, for all, is SCDOT’s existing mandate. 
4. A personal story walking or bicycling, and why this bill is important to you.

For the sake of safe streets, our health, equity, and economic sustainability, let’s take this next step towards getting SCDOT to pass a real complete streets policy.  

It’s extremely important we move this bill quickly, due to the legislative schedule.  The text of the bill is simple, but its impacts are critical.
The simple legislative bill will help advance the more complex SCDOT commission policy proposal. HERE is the full bill, and HERE are the specifics of the SCDOT commission policy proposal.

The safety of people walking, bicycling, and accessing transit is part of SCDOT’s existing mandate, whether they are building new roads or retrofitting or repaving existing roads.

96% of South Carolina’s pedestrian fatalities are on state owned roads, so responsiblity rests within SCDOT’s process, planning, and street design. When 33 other state DOTs in the USA have a state Complete Streets policy already, and our state ranks 3rd and 5th in respective pedestrian and bike fatality rates, it’s time we act with a real policy.

The SC Livable Communities Alliance, facilitated by the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, has broad support for their draft policy: 19 Mayors, 49 state and local organizations and busuinesses, and now legislative energy.

The draft policy with the SCDOT commission contains specific language in these areas: improved state-local coordination, establishing state prioirities for minimum standards of safe accomodation, application to all road work phases, broadening the suite of innovative complete streets designs allowed on state roads, and a host of other improvements.