BCDCOG Receives $2.7 Million for Construction of Hop Transit Hub and Park-and-Ride Facility

FEDERAL FUNDING TO CATALYZE CONNECTIONS IN UPPER PENINSULA

NORTH CHARLESTON (Aug. 12, 2020) – The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) has been awarded $2.7 million in federal funding for the construction of a Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) park-and-ride facility and transit hub in the Upper Peninsula.

The project, located at Mount Pleasant Street and funded through the Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program, will provide parking and transit connections to the free HOP, Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) and King Street 20 routes, among others. Those lines, operated by the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), serve the hospitality workforce, tourists, residents, those traveling to the Medical District, and more.

The 1.65-acre facility will include 115 parking spaces, transit shelters, bike racks, and parking meter kiosks. Real-time signage will provide next-bus information, as well as detour details when roads are closed on the peninsula due to flooding and other impediments.

In the future, the location will serve as a gateway to the Upper Peninsula and the historic Charleston peninsula and provide multimodal connections to the planned Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) line. It will also offer seamless connectivity to the LowLine, a proposed 1.7-mile bike-ped-centric linear park located nearby.

CARTA Board Chairman and Charleston City Councilmember Mike Seekings said the HOP project will support the economic vitality of the region by providing parking and transportation options for the $7.3 billion Charleston-area tourism industry. The transit hub is slated to be completed in about 12 months.

“The HOP transit hub is located at a critical junction in the city and will serve as the multimodal lynchpin in a rapidly growing area along with one of our region’s most essential transit corridors,” Seekings said. “Its location and the resources being invested will significantly increase access and mobility options for the community.”

The FTA on Tuesday announced the award of $464 million in transit infrastructure grants nationwide. A total of 96 projects in 49 states and territories will receive funding.

“We are thankful for the incredible support of our Congressional representatives in helping to secure these critical resources,” said BCDCOG Executive Director Ron Mitchum. “Their support of our staff’s efforts in competing for grant funding is again making a tangible and positive impact in the lives of Lowcountry residents.” 

ABOUT BCDCOG:
The BCDCOG is a voluntary association of, by and for local governments, and was established to assist Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester county leaders in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. BCDCOG’s purpose is to strengthen the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. For the latest on BCDCOG, visit www.bcdcog.com, like us on Facebook, or follow on Twitter at @BDCCoG.

ABOUT CARTA:
The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit in the Charleston community through local fixed routes, on-demand paratransit service, and express commuter routes. For the latest on CARTA, visit www.ridecarta.com, like us on Facebook, or follow on Twitter at @RideCARTA. All customers are encouraged to plan rides and track buses with the CARTA-endorsed Transit app and the CARTA Bus Tracker.