2023-02-24 20:37:58 -0500
Please join us at the Town Hall on Tuesday, 2/28, to make our voices be heard. Meeting is at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fellowship Hall at 6PM. See you there!
To: Charleston County and City Officials
Stop the Avondale Avenue at Savannah Highway Realignment Project
We, the residents and supporters of Avondale neighborhood, are writing to express our strong opposition to the road realignment project on Avondale Avenue and Nicholson Street at Savannah Highway. This project will have profound and permanent effects on the livability, safety, and culture of where we live with little to no benefit to the people who reside in close proximity to said "improvement".
Why is this important?
Charleston County changes include re-routing Avondale Avenue to connect with Nicholson Street which will generate more traffic in the Avondale neighborhood. This project will allow for a direct path for motorists from other neighborhoods to access Saint Andrews Boulevard by way of Riverdale Avenue or Avondale Avenue. Already being hosts to The Cooper School and Blessed Sacrament commuters, this will lead to more congestion in our neighborhood during peak traffic times and make it more dangerous for pedestrians to walk our narrow roads. As for the City of Charleston proposal, a large parking deck would attract even more vehicles to travel to and from Saint Andrews Boulevard with no changes to our neighborhood infrastructure. It is important to note that Saint Andrews Boulevard at the intersections of Avondale Avenue, Peeks Pike, and Oakdale Place have no traffic signal and could potentially lead to more accidents on Highway 61. Also, consideration is not made for said parking garage in the county traffic flow study on Savannah Highway. There is no doubt that these proposed changes to Avondale will promote increased motorist and foot traffic leading to increased safety concerns, especially for our children.
It is widely accepted that with more pedestrian and motorist traffic comes more crime. Hosting two major thoroughfares in the city, Highways 17 and 61, we are already are at an increased potential for crime. Several thefts from motor vehicles and burglaries have happened over the past few years. Putting a stop to this project will save us the monetary and safety costs associated with crime.
As for the cultural impact on our neighborhood, the building hosting businesses like DBs, Seventeen South Antiques, and Alpha Graphics not only contribute to our shopping and eating selections within walking distance, but also displays a mural. Replacing this building with a parking garage in our neighborhood will permanently and negatively impact us by losing businesses and art that we have appreciated for years while adding a large structure that doesn't agree with the brightly colored neighborhood shops that currently inhabit the area.
One of the most historic neighborhoods in West Ashley, Avondale, is in jeopardy of becoming a cut-through community. We petition the city and county to stop this project and consider the permanent effect it has on the residents where the project is proposed rather than the developer's pockets down the road.
Signed,
Residents and Supporters of Avondale neighborhood
https://www.designdivision.org/avondaleurbandesignstudy
https://www.savannahhighway.com/avondale
It is widely accepted that with more pedestrian and motorist traffic comes more crime. Hosting two major thoroughfares in the city, Highways 17 and 61, we are already are at an increased potential for crime. Several thefts from motor vehicles and burglaries have happened over the past few years. Putting a stop to this project will save us the monetary and safety costs associated with crime.
As for the cultural impact on our neighborhood, the building hosting businesses like DBs, Seventeen South Antiques, and Alpha Graphics not only contribute to our shopping and eating selections within walking distance, but also displays a mural. Replacing this building with a parking garage in our neighborhood will permanently and negatively impact us by losing businesses and art that we have appreciated for years while adding a large structure that doesn't agree with the brightly colored neighborhood shops that currently inhabit the area.
One of the most historic neighborhoods in West Ashley, Avondale, is in jeopardy of becoming a cut-through community. We petition the city and county to stop this project and consider the permanent effect it has on the residents where the project is proposed rather than the developer's pockets down the road.
Signed,
Residents and Supporters of Avondale neighborhood
https://www.designdivision.org/avondaleurbandesignstudy
https://www.savannahhighway.com/avondale