Mount Pleasant receives funds from US Department of Energy to construct bike lanes

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – The U.S. Department of Energy awarded Mount Pleasant over $142,000 for four-foot-wide bike lanes in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The town is planning to add these lanes along Coleman Boulevard between Garland Road and Bayview Drive. This will connect the corridor to the existing bike lanes.

“And that will really help us fill an important gap in terms of bicycle infrastructure along Coleman Boulevard,” Sophie Holmes, staff engineer of capital projects and transportation in Mount Pleasant, said. “Coleman is really a key thoroughfare getting through town and to different resources, as well as our recreational facilities – Patriots Point down to Rifle Range.”

For the application, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) requires the goals of improving energy efficiency, cutting fossil fuel emissions, and reducing energy use. This falls under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funds were applied for over this past summer and are now approved.

“We have been working as a town to develop a Mount Pleasant net zero policy and as part of that policy transportation and mobility emissions are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions,” Holmes said.

Although the policy and plan have not passed through the town’s administration yet, this project meets the goal of improving bike safety and connectivity.

“Extending bikes lanes along Coleman Boulevard is a priority for the town and SCDOT,” Holmes said. “This project as well as other projects will add to bike lanes along the entire corridor will help us beat those complete street goals.”

Officials said construction is expected to begin between this winter and spring of 2025, and is estimated to last six months.