Bike-Ped Paths Across Major Bridges and Charleston's Cooper River Bridge

There is a story today in Streetsblog regarding the Ohio DOT's reluctance to build a bike/pedestrian path over the replacement of Cleveland's I-90 Innerbelt Bridge for reasons which, well, aren't really reasons at all, it appears. Having spent last weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, I've seen the tremendous use that such a well-designed and well-constructed path can bring.

Charleston's Cooper River Bridge, the longest cable-stay bridge in North America, includes a wide bike and pedestrian path along the eastbound lane. While not an interstate, the bridge is many vehicle lanes wide and is a major artery in the Charleston area, linking the Charleston peninsula with neighboring Mount Pleasant, Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms and eventually leading up to Myrtle Beach. While driving from Charleston over to Sullivan's and Isle of Palms to head to the beach several times last weekend, we noticed the large number of bikers, walkers and runners traversing the bridge, even on days in which the temperature reached 100 degrees. And the bridge is not exactly an easy bike or run, with the bride rising to 575 feet above the Cooper River, from essentially sea level on either side (I know, having run the Cooper River Bridge Run last year which starts in Mount Pleasant, crosses the bridge and ends in downtown Charleston).

These types of paths are not only great amenities to the community, but can actually serve as alternative means of transportation. Apparently the Ohio DOT doesn't get it.