Mount Pleasant, SC- Yesterday the CARTA board decided to begin planning a transition to a more efficient and useful East Cooper Transit system. Several proposals were made, but under the leadership of our East Cooper Representatives, with the support of members from throughout the county, they decided to aim high, which creates a challenge for those of us East of the Cooper. We’ll need to act on that challenge in early February. A workshop date and location for the second week of that month are being worked out now.
Image, Right, Coffeehouse Meeting on CARTA
Read the detailed plans and learn the significance of 541 in the body of the post.
The board committed option five to the Route committee which would extend the #40 bus route to Wando High School and the new Mount Pleasant Hospital, while eliminating side trips on that route to Seaside Farms and Patriot’s Point.
A new neighborhood route would be deployed serving Coleman Blvd., Chuck Dawley, Bowman, Whipple, Long Point, Seaside Farms, Six Mile Road and a portion of Rifle Range using funds freed by the cancellation of the existing, dysfunctional flex service, reduced by loss of the flex grant. This neighborhood route could be extended to the front beach on the IOP on a part time basis.
A limited, much more compact part time flex system would serve parts of IOP and Sullivan’s Island with mainland connection points. The additional cost of this proposal is $49,196, though total system cost would decline since a grant for Flex service would be lost.
Most areas would retain Tel-A-Ride paratransit services for the disabled most of the time. This provided front door or walkable public transit services to at least six schools.
The Board made it very clear that the large public turnout and vigorous input at recent public meetings persuaded them that an effort to create a better system would be worthwhile.
We will have maps of the new routes available shortly. I have hard copies now, which were handed out at yesterday’s meeting.
Naturally everyone wants more and the board will study limited extensions of the plan.
For this plan to be justified on farebox revenue alone requires generating an achievable 541 new, full far riders per week of within the
East Cooper area.
Additional Plan Cost $49,196
Full Fare $1.75
Full Fares needed to cover cost for one year 28,112
Full fare Weekly 541
Full fares Daily 77
In early February we hope to hold a community workshop to put together a plan to reach this figure. Please begin talking to your church, community group, neighborhood association, school or business about how you might be able to generate a few of these rides. Bear in mind that Wando High School and the Beach are expected to make a significant contribution to that number. It can be done.
Please encourage your friends to join the East Cooper CARTA Riders Facebook Group
East Cooper CARTA Riders Facebook Group