Public backs CARTA Summerville routes

By Warren Wise

The Post and Courier

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

SUMMERVILLE — If the speakers Monday on a proposed CARTA express route from this booming Dorchester County town to downtown Charleston are a measure of overall support, then the plan shouldn't have any problem shuttling along.

About 15 people spoke in favor of what could eventually be two routes of the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority during a public hearing in County Council chambers. Several others sent e-mails to the agency in support of the plan.

"It saves me about $100 a month between gas and parking fees at MUSC," said Sheri Harmon, who now drives to the Super Kmart on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston and parks her car before getting on the bus to go to her job downtown. "If we can get the support for this, it would be wonderful."

Stephanie Tucker, director of property management at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, said 386 of its employees live in Summerville.

She said the express service on the other routes that started in January has helped with the parking crunch downtown, and she thinks the Summerville route would be a big plus as well.

Under CARTA's proposal, both routes would start in the old shopping center at U.S. Highway 78 and Berlin G. Myers Parkway and end at the Medical University of South Carolina in downtown Charleston.

One route would travel down U.S. 78 to Rivers Avenue, drop off passengers wanting to take other buses to places such as Trident Technical College or Charleston Southern University, then take the U.S. Highway 52 connector to Interstate 26 and then downtown to Meeting and Calhoun streets.

The other proposed route would leave Summerville via U.S. 78 and turn onto Ladson and Dorchester roads before stopping at CARTA's new intermodal facility on Montague Avenue. From there, it would head over to I-26 and then downtown.

Each route would take about an hour and a half, and buses would run every 45 minutes during peak travel hours in the early morning and late afternoon.

"Whether we operate one, both or none depends on the interest in the Summerville area," said Howard Chapman, CARTA executive director.

Some residents pointed out that the second route should begin somewhere on Dorchester Road since loads of Summerville residents on the western side of town use that route.

Dorchester County and Summerville's collective share to pay for one route would be $432,141 for operating costs and four buses, Chapman said. Double that for both routes.

"If the citizens of Dorchester County and Summerville support it, I think we will be in favor of it as well," Dorchester County Council Chairman Larry Hargett said.

Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@postandcourier.com.