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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The speed limit change mostly applies to back roads in neighborhoods, and Isle of Palms Police Chief Kevin Cornett says it’s all about safety.
He says oftentimes, people will try to cut through smaller streets with houses to avoid traffic, and that can be dangerous.
“We have so much traffic that builds up on our main roads that people try to get past that traffic, and they’ll go into the neighborhoods,” Cornett said. “Thirty miles an hour can seem really fast when you’re on a small road where there’s cars parked on the side or kids playing.”
The department started looking into the speed limits last year and decided to make this adjustment after assessing the roads and talking to people who live on the island.
“A lot of times, people forget that this is home for about 5,000 people and there are kids that live here, and there are kids that are riding bikes, and they’re playing on those back roads, and some people get frustrated in traffic,” Cornett said. “Our message is when you come out here, slow down, especially if you’re in the neighborhood area.”
This brings some smaller road speed limits down from 30 miles per hour, and the new limits are in effect right now. Cornett says, of course, there are different speed limits posted across the island people need to watch out for.
“Palm Boulevard will still be 30 miles an hour,” explained Cornett. “The Isle of Palms Connector is going to maintain its speed that’s at – 45. Then we have certain parts that are going to maintain the 15 miles an hour speed limit, mostly on the front beach area. Ocean Boulevard and 27th Avenue has a 15 mile an hour section.”
Drew Wise’s family has a home on the island. He says the neighborhood speed limits will take some getting used to.
“Most of the people who like live on the island kind of respect the speed limit while the visitors and vacationers would definitely fly on roads like these especially, I mean, late at night,” Wise said. “It’s not that big of a deal, but when there’s a bunch of people that are walking back, like with their kids and their animals, I think they should go slow.”
Cornett says this isn’t part of an effort to pull more people over. It’s about making sure everyone enjoys their time on the island safely.
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