MP Business 2018

mp business www.MPBusinessMag.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com MPB N early 75 percent of workers in Mount Pleasant don’t live here. Let that sink in for a minute. Every day, tens of thousands of vehicles stream into town, while a similarly large number head the other way to jobs elsewhere in the region. And most of those commuters – 9 out of 10, according to one recent regional study – are traveling alone. “The reality is, we’re going to have to learn to use our infrastructure differently, more efficiently, or we’ll never see traffic relief,” said CARTA Board Chairman Mike Seekings. But what does that mean in affluent Mount Pleasant, where incomes are generally high and a gleaming SUV never seems to be more than a stone’s throw away? A TRANSIT PLAN Town staff is currently working with the Berkeley- Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments to address just that question through the first-ever Mount Pleasant Transit Plan. The council hosted an open house at Town Hall in early August, and a recent online survey garnered more than 1,200 responses. The purpose of both was to help identify the transit wants and needs of residents and businesses. The plan is expected to be complete this fall. “Traditional mass-transit use has historically been lower in Mount Pleasant, which is common in more affluent and less- dense suburban areas,” said BCDCOG principal planner Sharon Hollis. “It wouldn’t be surprising to see recommendations for demand-response ride-share programs or other options we haven’t yet seen in the region come out of this plan.” Demand-response transportation is often useful in providing effective connections in areas of low-transit ridership. The model features flexible routes and ride- sharing on vehicles smaller than full-size buses, with pickup and drop-off locations based on passenger need. The Lowcountry Go program, introduced this year by BCDCOG, is already taking steps in that direction. A mobile app available for iPhone and Android allows users to connect with carpools and van pools and offers emergency ride home reimbursement for subscribers, among other features. “The security of emergency ride home is a big deal for a lot of people,” Hollis said. “It gives them extra confidence that they can get back quickly if an issue arises suddenly.” Finding Your Best Ride to Work Mount Pleasant Conducts First-Ever Transit Plan