More parking spaces, lower speed limits coming to Old Town Bluffton
Visitors to Old Town Bluffton will soon have more parking options and slower speed limits.
The S.C. Department of Transportation decided last week to approve new parking spots and a 25-miles -per-hour speed limit on two roads in the historic district where an increase in visitors has fueled safety and parking concerns in recent years.
The plan calls for angled parking along Dr. Mellichamp Drive, a state-owned road that borders the M.C. Riley Sports Complex and the Promenade, a busy mixed-use development where parking can be hard to find.
The town plans to add between 70 to 100 parking spots. An exact number of spaces and a construction timetable have not been set, said Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka.
Sulka said more spaces are welcomed on the street between Goethe and Bluffton roads. Town officials have sought to solve parking woes in the historic district, especially along Calhoun Street.
"This will give people some additional parking options," Sulka said. "And it may take 15 or 20 cars off Calhoun Street."
Town Councilman Ted Huffman, who owns Bluffton BBQ in the Promenade, said many visitors already park illegally along Dr. Mellichamp Drive.
Striping parking spaces will bring order to what's now a free-for-all, he said.
"It's ground zero," said Huffman. "And it's been a mess. So we thought we'd turn it into legitimate parking."
Parking has been a major issue for officials and residents as Old Town prospers.
The 851 public parking spaces within a five-minute walk of Calhoun Street or the Promenade meet the current parking demand, but won't be enough when the district is built out, according to a February letter written by Sulka.
In recent years, town leaders have discussed space requirements, time limits and an employee-specific parking lot. They even considered parking garages.
Sulka said the Dr. Mellichamp spaces are a step toward solving the problem.
"We've got to be proactive about it," she said. "(Striping Dr. Mellichamp Drive) is going to be faster than re-doing Calhoun Street or buying a million-dollar piece of property for parking. We're trying to stay ahead of the game."
DOT officials also agreed to lower the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph on Dr. Mellichamp Drive and Boundary Street, another state-owned road.
The changes go into effect immediately and new signs should be posted in the next few weeks, according to state Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton, who is a minority partner in the Promenade development.
The new Boundary Street limit should help slow down speeding drivers, officials say.
The narrow road is home to revamped DuBois Park, which has become a popular gathering place for young families.
Residents say drivers regularly speed down the road, which parallels Calhoun Street.
"They fly through here," said Dan Wood, who lives at the corner of Boundary and Lawton streets, across from the park.
"With all the activity and kids, I think it's a good decision," to lower the speed limit, he said.
Sulka said the town wants to knock down the speed limits even more.
"I love DOT giving us five miles off, but people go fast down those roads," she said. "We're going to try to get it reduced."
Follow reporter Dan Burley on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Dan.
- Bluffton moves forward on requiring more Old Town parking, Jan. 28, 2015
- Bluffton Town Council exploring parking changes in Old Town, Nov. 11, 2014
This story was originally published June 8, 2015 at 5:50 PM with the headline "More parking spaces, lower speed limits coming to Old Town Bluffton."