Sullivan's Island Magazine Summer/Fall 2018

11 www.SullivansIslandMagazine.com | www.SullivansIslandHomes.com [ Feature ] spaces) still exceeds demand,” he said. Sullivan’s Island Police Chief Chris Griffin echoed Benke’s sentiments. Despite needing some minor adjustments, he said overall the plan has achieved its goal of making it easier for larger emergency vehicles, such as firetrucks, to respond to rescue calls along the beach. The minor adjustment Griffin referenced would address another public-safety issue most problematic during peak beach times: Under current rules, the town allows parking on both sides of Middle Street. On crowded beach days or when the Ben Sawyer Bridge opens or it rains, traffic snarls in the commercial district. Although police cars can usually squeeze through, there is insufficient room for firetrucks responding to calls from their base at Station 20 (Town Hall), said Griffin. The proposal recommends limiting parking to one side of Middle Street (on the shore side, where there’s a sidewalk) by the Post Office at Station 20 going west to Station 18 and removing parking on the ocean side of Middle Street where there is no sidewalk heading east from Dunleavy’s Pub at Station 22½ to Station 26. Griffin said it just makes more sense in these congested areas, because it will widen the road so cars can move aside for fire trucks and ambulances. As of July, the proposal had been submitted to the DOT, which owns the roads and right of ways on Sullivan’s Island. Benke said the idea is to find a balance for residents, tourists and first responders and maintain the flow of traffic on Middle Street while keeping it at a safe speed. Traffic is part of the trade-off of living in a desirable place impacted by Charleston’s population boom. As Benke and Griffin both noted, there are only three beaches in the tri-county area, and they continue to be a huge draw. And the town must be able to provide services for everyone who comes to the island. “All we can do is make it as safe and move as efficiently as possible,” said Benke. Population Growth East of the Cooper 1970 1990 2010 Estimated - 2017 Mount Pleasant 6,879 30,108 67,843 86,668 Sullivan’s Island 1,426 1,623 1,791 1,923 Isle of Palms 2,657 3,680 4,133 4,363 Population Growth of the Tri-County Area 1970 1990 2010 Estimated - 2017 Berkeley County 56,199 128,776 177,843 217,937 Charleston County 247,650 295,039 350,199 401,438 Dorchester County 32,276 83,060 136,555 156,456 Sources: U.S. Census; Town of Mount Pleasant Demographics.