After reviewing comments from the public information meeting that took place in December 2018, the County has decided to move forward with an inside/outside widening concept.
Click here to learn more about the 2018 public meeting.
A second public information meeting took place on January 29, 2020. At this meeting, Charleston County's Public Works Transportation Division presented the widening design for Glenn McConnell Parkway.
The public comment period for the January 29, 2020 meeting closed on February 29, 2020. Below is a summary of the comments received.
The County received 85 comments during the 30-day period: 47 paper and 38 online.
The following breaks down the number of comments we received in each category:
22 Intersection Concerns
12 Signal Timings
11 Noise
9 Multi-Use Path/Crosswalks
9 Bees Ferry Road Improvements
8 Traffic Projections/Development
7 Reduce Speed Limit
3 Street Lighting
2 Draining 
2 Bus Stop/Multimodal Improvements
The Project Team will address each important factor in the following ways:
Intersection improvements at Magwood Drive are outside of the limits of the Glenn McConnell Parkway Widening project. The South Carolina Department of Transportation’s (SCDOT) I-526 Lowcounty Corridor West project includes improvements to the Magwood Drive intersection. For more information, click here.
The SCDOT maintains Glenn McConnell Parkway and sets the speed limits. They review the speed limit of a road by performing speed studies. Based on the completion of several speed studies, the SCDOT does not recommend lowering the current speed limit(s) on Glenn McConnell Parkway. Click here to review the results of SCDOT’s most recent speed study.
After the completion of the Glenn McConnell Parkway Widening, the SCDOT may conduct a new speed study.
Based on the current and projected traffic needs at this intersection, improvements to the northbound approach to Glenn McConnell Parkway from W. Wildcat Boulevard will include one left turn lane, one thru lane, and two right turn lanes.
Based on SCDOT standards, the westbound approach to the Baird Cove intersection does not warrant a warning sign or signal alerting drivers of an upcoming traffic signal. Additionally, the SCDOT discourages the use of these type of warning signs because it often results in drivers speeding to the intersection to make the green light.
The County is coordinating the widening of Glenn McConnell Parkway with the SCDOT and City of Charleston’s implementation of a traffic responsive signal system. This system captures variations in traffic patterns and adjusts timing plans instantaneously based on current traffic conditions. The City of Charleston will monitor the operations of the corridor once the traffic responsive system goes into service, and will adjust the timing settings as necessary. This monitor and adjustment process will continue into the future in order to account for new developments, traffic patterns, etc.
To stay within the current right of way and avoid additional wetland impacts, the widening project will require converting the existing acceleration lane onto eastbound Glenn McConnell Parkway from Essex Farm Drive into a thru-lane. The acceleration lane is beneficial at the current un-signalized intersection as it allows vehicles to turn right onto Glenn McConnell Parkway without yielding to oncoming traffic. However, the widening project will include the installation of a light at this intersection, which will allow vehicles to make protected right and left turns during the green light. Vehicles will also have the ability to turn right on red when safe. The traffic analysis indicates the traffic signal will sufficiently move traffic onto Glenn McConnell Parkway without an excessive back up of cars on Essex Farms Drive.
The County completed a detailed traffic noise study of the project area. The study identified 108 noise receivers along Glenn McConnell Parkway, and analyzed the receivers using Traffic Noise Model 2.5 software. The analysis determined that some residents would experience some increased noise levels due to the widening project. With that determination, the County evaluated four different locations for potential noise barriers. The evaluated noise barriers must meet the SCDOT noise abatement policy for the County to include them in the Glenn McConnell Parkway Widening project. The four barriers do not meet the established feasibility and reasonableness criteria outlined in the SCDOT’s policy. Click here to view the Traffic Noise Analysis prepared for Glenn McConnell Parkway.
Click here to view SCDOT’s Traffic Noise Abatement Policy.
Improvements to Bees Ferry Road are outside of the project limits for the widening project. The County will share this concern with the City of Charleston and SCDOT for potential consideration as a future project.
Charleston County is coordinating the addition of street lights with the City of Charleston. The City intends to install street lights along Glenn McConnell Parkway to mirror the street lighting on Bees Ferry Road.
The project will include the installation of new bus stop pullouts with bus shelters, benches, bike racks and trash receptacles at the following CARTA bus stop locations:
The widening project will include the installation of a new multi-use path (MUP) along the south side of Glenn McConnell Parkway, between Bees Ferry Road and Magwood Drive. The path’s width will vary from 8’ to 12’ wide, and will accommodated 2-way traffic for both bicyclists and pedestrians. The pathway will connect to existing sidewalks on side streets and will have marked crosswalks at each intersection. The County will install pedestrian signals and pushbuttons at each signalized intersection.
The Glenn McConnell Parkway Widening Transportation Planning Study, completed in fall 2018, took into consideration all known development projects at the time of the study. This includes the new C.E. Williams Middle School and proposed residential/mixed-use developments along the corridor. The study utilizes a 1.5% per year (2018 to 2040) growth rate to account for normal growth and other “unknown” developments in the study area. This growth rate corresponds with the projected growth in the Charleston Area Traffic Study model.
