Town to construct bike paths from Fresh Market to Shelter Cove

The Town of Hilton Head Island will construct bike paths to connect Shelter Cove Towne Centre with Fresh Market Shoppes, a town panel decided Wednesday.

Planning Commission members approved plans to add or widen more than a mile of paths along the Broad Creek side of William Hilton Parkway.

Plans call for 4,400 feet of new paths along the parkway, from Queens Way to King Neptune Way. About 2,000 feet of paths on Shelter Cove Lane will be widened.

The paths will parallel those on the opposite side of the parkway. They will make a continuous bike trail from The Village at Wexford to Shelter Cove, a stretch that includes several tourist attractions and shopping centers.

Frank Babel, chairman of the town Bicycle Advisory Committee, said the paths will make it easier for bicyclists to ride to those commercial areas without crossing the busy parkway.

"Have you ever had to cross (William Hilton Parkway) during the day? It's dangerous," he said.

Commission member Bryan Hughes liked the project, but hoped the paths wouldn't set back the line-of-sight for car drivers turning onto the parkway. If a path separates a car waiting to turn onto the road, he said, "it can be hard (for the driver) to see if anyone is coming."

Some commission members suggested moving the path away from road entryways or cutting back vegetation to give drivers better visibility.

The project is expected to cost $700,000, with money coming from this year's capital-improvement budget.

Construction should be completed by April, according to town engineer Jeff Buckalew.

Follow reporter Dan Burley on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Dan.

Related content:

• Hilton Head Segway company draws fire from bicyclists, pedestrians, April 25, 2014
• Hilton Head panel endorses new park trail designs, Dec. 18, 2013

This story was originally published August 20, 2014 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Town to construct bike paths from Fresh Market to Shelter Cove."