Policy can drive change. In South Carolina, a policy benefiting people bicycling and/or walking can take several different forms—a complete street resolution, policy, or ordinance; a comprehensive plan; Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan; internal order or directive; transportation referendum, design manual rewrite, land use and zoning changes – each of these can improve the built environment for people bicycling or walking (and driving).
Complete Streets
Complete Streets policies can occur at the state and local level. See our link for more information. And contact us if you’d like help in advancing these initiatives in your town, no matter how big or small.
State
The 2003 SCDOT Bike/Ped Resolution comes with design standards. We are currently advocating with SCDOT for a Policy that implements the Resolution through a standard process, updated Design Standards, and uses a Safe Systems planning approach for sake of equity.
Local
Locally, several complete streets policies exist, and many are listed below. This list is growing, so in the event we are too busy to keep this page up to date, check this link too.
| Location | Policy Type (Yr passed) |
| Town | |
| Town of Summerville | Resolution (2012) |
| Town of Ninety Six | Resolution (2012) |
| Town of Hilton Head | Working on resolution |
| Town of Allendale | Working on resolution |
| City | |
| City of Anderson | Resolution (2009) |
| City of Greenville | Resolution (2008) |
| City of Greenwood | Resolution (2012) |
| City of North Myrtle Beach | Land development ordinance (2008) |
| City of Spartanburg | Resolution (2007) |
| City of Columbia | Resolution (2010) |
| City of Camden | Resolution (2011) |
| City of Charleston | Resolution (2009) |
| City of Conway | Within Unified Development Ordinance (2011) |
| County | |
| Spartanburg County | Resolution (2007) |
| Richland County | Resolution (2009) |
| Anderson County | Resolution (2009) |
| Greenville County | County resolution introduced in 2010 and voted down |
| Colleton County | Resolution (2011) |
| Richland County | Resolution (2009)/ Commission (2011) |
Master Plan
An increasing number of cities across South Carolina are creating Bicycle and/or Pedestrian Master Plans. These are plans for developing bicycle and/or pedestrian infrastructure in a city, with emphasis on promoting bicycling and/or walking as a viable option for transportation and/or recreation.
A Master Plan presents a comprehensive review of the many policies, procedures, and practices – as well as the physical infrastructure of your community – that affect walking and bicycling. It will recommend ways your community can make bicycling and walking safer and more convenient, such as street improvements, parking facilities, new city policies, and education programs.
The PCC sees Master Plans as a vital way to improve bicycling, walking, and safety at the grassroots level in South Carolina. For that reason, at times (with few state legislative threats) we work with local entities to develop these plans and advocate for their adoption by local governing bodies. Most Bicycle Master Plans (and some Pedestrian Plans) are contracted out to specialized firms, but some can occur in house with trained staff.
In late 2014, SCDOT compiled all local and regional Pedestrian/Bicycle Master Plans into one file for their use in state road maintenance, though the PCC’s continues to advocate for a state policy requiring they abide by these local plans, through an established process.
Below is a list of current South Carolina Plans that include bicycle and pedestrian components. contact Amy if you have any questions about these, or are interested in developing such a plan in your community.
- City of Greenville Greenway Plan
- Greenville County Greenway Plan
- City of Greenville Bicycle Master Plan
- Greenville Downtown Streets Master Plan
- Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Trail Plan
- Spartanburg County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
- City of Easley Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
- City of Greenwood Pedestrian and Bike Plan
- North Augusta Greenway Master Plan
- Fountain Inn Streetscape/Connectivity Study
- Fountain Inn Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
- Charleston-Dorchester Open Space/Greenway Plan
- Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester COG Plan
- Easley Brushy Creek Greenway Feasibility Study
- Aiken Regional Transportation Study (ARTS) Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
- City of Columbia Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
- Columbia Area Long Range Transportation Study (COATS) Bicycle/Pedestrian Pathways Plan
- Town of Summerville Bicycle Master Plan
- Lower Savannah Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Study
- ARTS and Aiken County Bicycle Pedestrian Plan
- Lowcountry Council of Governments (Low COG) Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
- King’s Highway Corridor Study
- SATS LRTP–Pedestrian Walkways and Bikeways
- West Ashley Greenway Master Plan
- Rock Hill, College Town Area Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan
