Two fatal crashes on North Bridge in a few days, Charleston activists call for improved safety on the bridge

Charleston, South Carolina – Two fatal accidents were recorded on North Bridge this week. The first one took place on Tuesday when a bicyclist lost his life in a collision with a vehicle, while the second one took place two days later on Thursday, in a two-vehicle wreck when one person died.

“It’s particularly troublesome because there are so many people who rely on it to get over. Whether to get there in a car, taking the bus, walking or biking, Folks have to get across it and they’re put in positions that no one should be put in,” said Katie Zimmerman the Executive Director of Charleston Moves, a nonprofit organization that encourages mobility by bicycle, foot and public transit in Charleston.

There have been 26 accidents registered since 2019 on North Bridge according to the North Charleston Police Department. Six of these accidents were with injuries recorded and two were fatal.

“That’s now the fourth person on a bike that we’ve lost on that bridge since 2015. So we’ve reached a point, already one person, the loss of one person is unacceptable. We’ve now reached crisis mode,” said Zimmerman.

A study called Better North Bridge is in preparation and this study should find alternatives for improving the safety for those crossing the bridge. According to the Charleston County this study should be finished until the summer. The study will be revealed on a dedicated website and public is expected to put input in the whole project.

“When that public meeting goes live in the summer, we are going to need the community to rally together and support these improvements,” said Zimmerman.