Study: Bike Path Could Have Big Financial Boost

The network of bike and pedestrian paths proposed as part of the Battery2Beach initiative could benefit the community — in cost savings and additional tourism revenue — by more than $42 million.

That's the findings in a new report commissioned by bicycling advocates Charleston Moves and conducted by the College of Charleston.

The biggest chunk of that total — $40.6 million — comes from increased tourism revenue, the study concludes. But cutting air pollution, gas consumption and traffic congestion while improving health also produce financial windfalls.

The group is scheduled to discuss the report at a 10 a.m. press conference at Shem Creek Park in Mount Pleasant today.

The group encourages community leaders to move forward on plans to link the Charleston metro area from Isle of Palms through downtown and onto Folly Beach through the Battery2Beach project.

Unlike current bike paths, the proposed route will serve as a transportation network. That means the project will provide real cost benefits rather than just being an expense.

“In the past, mostly they (bike paths) have been put in when it’s convenient or people lobbied for it, like with the Cooper River bridge,” said Tiffany Norton, a College of Charleston graduate student who conducted the research. “Otherwise, it’s been seen as kind of extravagant. With this study, we’ve shown it’s more cost-effective.”

Bike2Beach carries a $20 million price tag. Mount Pleasant has already planned for its portion of the corridor in a $7.5 million overhaul of Coleman Boulevard. .