Traffic Analysis Background
What would traffic look like in 2050?
When we conduct a traffic analysis, we look at what is happening today and also analyze projected growth and changes in the area, such as population growth, future land uses, and other planned transportation projects.
For the I-526 LCC WEST, we projected what traffic would look like in 2050 if there were no improvements made to the existing I-526 corridor from the North Rhett Avenue/Virginia Avenue Interchange in North Charleston to the Paul Cantrell interchange in West Ashley. We also quantify how the proposed improvements would impact your quality of life.
There is a lot of congestion currently along this corridor. As you will see based on the amount of red and yellow in the maps below in the next sections, if no improvements are made, this congestion would continue to worsen. This is true for both morning and evening rush hours, when traffic is at its heaviest. However, when comparing the potential traffic if the recommended preferred alternative is constructed, you will notice a lot of green, even in 2050.
Our traffic analysis includes:
Population Growth
Regional Transportation Projects
Route Choices
Rush Hour Traffic
Federal & State Standards
Traffic Level of Service (LOS) - AM
What would traffic look like in 2050 in the morning rush hour?
How would these improvements affect your morning commute?
The average rush hour travel time on I-526 would be 13 minutes between Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Virginia Avenue, as opposed to 27 minutes with no improvements!
View More on Morning Traffic
The map on the left above identifies the Level of Service during morning rush hours if no improvements are made to I-526 from Virginia Avenue in North Charleston to Paul Cantrell Boulevard in West Ashley, or to I-26 to support the reconfiguration of the I-526/I-26 interchange. The map on the right shows the Level of Service during the morning rush hour if the Recommended Preferred Alternative improvements are completed. While the map on the left of the “No Build” alternative is predominantly red, indicating a traffic flow break down, the map on the right of the Recommended Preferred Alternative is all green along I-526 indicating free flow traffic. Only red would remain along I-26 south of I-526. Level of service is a measure of the quality of the flow of traffic. The graphic on the screen shows that as Level of Service goes from an “A” to an “F” the road is more congested and traffic moves progressively from free flow to flow breakdown.Level of service is a measure of the quality of the flow of traffic. The graphic on the screen shows that as Level of Service goes from an “A” to an “F” the road is more congested and traffic moves progressively from free flow to flow breakdown.
Traffic Level of Service - PM
What would traffic look like in 2050 in the evening rush hour?
How would these improvements affect your evening commute?
Average rush hour speeds on I-526 would be 46 MPH between Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Virginia Avenue, as opposed to 24 MPH with no improvements!
View More on Evening Traffic
The map on the left above identifies the Level of Service during evening rush hours if no improvements are made to I-526 from Virginia Avenue in North Charleston to Paul Cantrell Boulevard in West Ashley, or to I-26 to support the reconfiguration of the I-526/I-26 interchange. The map on the right shows the Level of Service during the evening rush hour if the Recommended Preferred Alternative improvements are completed. The map on the left of the “No Build” alternative is predominantly red and yellow, indicating heavy congestion and a traffic flow break down. There is a large portion that would continue to have free flow movement along I-526, beginning at Paul Cantrell Boulevard in West Ashley headed Eastbound over the Ashley River until approximately Leeds Avenue. However, the map on the right of the Recommended Preferred Alternative is almost all green along I-526, indicating free flow traffic. Only a small red, or congested segment, would remain along I-26 north of I-526.Level of service is a measure of the quality of the flow of traffic. The graphic on the screen shows that as Level of Service goes from an “A” to an “F” the road is more congested and traffic moves progressively from free flow to flow breakdown.