Section 5: Bike and Pedestrian
Section 5: Bike and Pedestrian
Existing Conditions:
One defining feature of Glynn County appreciated by both residents and visitors is the
extensive sidewalk and bike path system. The City of Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and
Jekyll Island have many miles of sidewalks and bike paths. The flat terrain and the
temperate year-round weather make recreational activities such as walking, cycling,
skateboarding, and in-line skating popular. Figure 5-1 illustrates the extensive bike and
pedestrian system that exist within Glynn County.
Figures 5-2 and 5-3 show the Coastal Route (State Bike Route 95) and the Southern
Crossing Route (State Bike Route 10) that serves Glynn County. The Coastal Route
follows U.S. 17 through the county, connecting Brunswick with Effingham and Camden
Counties. The route runs through 25.8 miles of Glynn County and features the HofwylBroadfield Plantation.
The Southern Crossing Route traverses through 24.9 miles of Glynn County entering
from Brantley County on U.S. 82 and connects with the Coastal Route on U.S. 17. The
Southern Crossing Route features Jekyll Island, where the route terminates. It begins in
the southwest corner of the state and passes through Bainbridge, Thomasville, Valdosta,
Waycross, and ends in Glynn County.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Study
Brunswick Area Transportation Study, or BATS, hired the consulting firm Post, Buckley,
Schuh & Jernigan, Inc., or PBS&J, to conduct a local assessment of bicycle and
pedestrian needs within the county. The firm issued its final report entitled Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program Study. General Recommendations in the plan included:
• Bicyclists and pedestrians should have a safe and convenient way to travel
throughout the county, whether for recreation, fitness, commuting, running
errands, etc.
• Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians need to be better educated in the laws and
ordinances which govern their movements and the interaction between modes.
• Bicyclists and pedestrians, in general, should be separated wherever possible.
• American Association of State and Highway and Transportation Officials, and
Georgia Department of Transportation design standards for bicycle facilities
should be followed, unless extenuating circumstances render these standards
impractical or impossible.
• Construction of new pedestrian facilities and reconstruction of existing facilities
should meet American Disabilities Act, or ADA, requirements at all times or
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Section 5: Bike and Pedestrian
alternate solutions should be implemented in unusual situations if design
standards prove impossible to maintain.
• Bicycling and walking should be encouraged as alternative modes of
transportation which have significant health benefits and are environmentally
friendly.
• To encourage use of these alternative modes, auxiliary facilities should be
provided where feasible, such as bicycle storage areas at major destinations, water
fountains, and comfort stations along major routes and shower/changing facilities
at places of work.
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Section 5: Bike and Pedestrian
Figure 5-1
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Figure 5-2
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Figure 5-3
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Recommended improvements and new facilities are depicted on the figures on the
following pages. Projects will be completed based on the importance of the link
established in the overall network, the elimination or reduction of one or more safety
hazards, cost, intangible benefits to the community, and the practical time frame for
implementation based on related planned or programmed projects.
Construction costs for sidewalks and bicycle paths are estimated to be $__ per linear foot
or $__ per square foot in ___ dollars. Sources of funding that were identified in the
PBS&J study included Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act Enhancement
Program funding, the incorporation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities into the overall
design for larger scale roadway projects, and ordinance(s) requiring developers to install
facilities, special assessments on abutting property owners, public and private
fundraisers, and volunteer efforts by civic organizations and advocacy groups.
East Coast Greenway:
The Coastal Georgia Land Trust developed a plan for a 450-mile regional trail system
which would link the Coastal Georgia region to Florida and South Carolina. The 450mile section through Georgia is called the East Coast Greenway, Georgia’s portion of the
trail is called the Coastal Georgia Greenway, and Glynn County’s portion is the Golden
Marshes Trail. The network will link towns, attractions, recreational sites, historic and
cultural sites, waterways, and natural habitats of the coast. A series of trails suitable for
bicycles, joggers, equestrians, canoeists, kayakers, and other non-motorized users will be
built. The centerpiece of the Coastal Georgia Greenway is a continuous trail connecting
South Carolina to Florida. The route will follow various north-south routes, including the
U.S. Highway 17 corridor, abandoned rail corridors, and historic canal corridors.
Figure 5-4 shows the recommendations for the Glynn County portion of the system
include greenways, on-road bicycle facilities, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, equestrian
trails and ferries.
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Figure 5-4: East Coast Greenway
Source: http://www.eastcoastgreenway.org
The plan suggested that the following locations be considered for Glynn County as part
of a regional recreation trail network:
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•
Altamaha Boulevard Greenway Trail (Harry Driggers Blvd.) linking Spur 25 to
U.S 17 (5.75 miles of 7-foot wide paved multi-purpose trail)- North Glynn
County Park is designated trail head (Phase 1: 3.4 miles is complete; 2.35 miles
remaining)
•
U.S. 17 from the McIntosh County Line to the Camden County Line
•
Jekyll Island Causeway
•
Water route from Jekyll Island to St. Simons Island (already provided by private
water taxi service)
•
Brunswick-Altamaha Canal
•
Old Jesup Highway
•
U.S. 341 from Old Jesup Highway to Downtown Brunswick, then deviating from
U.S. 341 to Coffin Park and U.S. 17
•
GA 99 from U.S. 17 to U.S. 82
•
Atlanta Gas Light easement U.S. 17 to Perry Lane Road
•
Old Highway 25 from Everett to Sterling
•
CSX Rail corridor from McIntosh County Line to Camden County Line
•
U.S. 82 from GA 99 to the CSX Rail Corridor
Georgia Coast Rail-Trails:
The Georgia Coast Rails to Trails project will transform the rail corridor between
Riceboro and Kingsland into hiking and biking trails that winds through marshes and
forests, and across rivers and creeks. The trail would offer coastal residents and visitors a
healthy outdoor adventure, access to an unspoiled ecological system, and exceptional
educational opportunities.
Figure 5-5 shows the section that would spread through Glynn County. Glynn County’s
contribution would be 21.8 miles long. The section starts at the Camden County and
Glynn County line and runs to the south bank of the Altamaha River. This section has
been divided into four segments:
•
Camden County/ Glynn County Line to US 82 – This is approximately 4.4 miles
long and varies in width. There is one 50-foot long concrete bridge.
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•
U.S. 82 to GA 32- this segment is approximately 5.5 miles long and 25’ wide.
There are two bridges in this section.
•
GA 32 to U.S. 341- This segment is approximately 7.7 miles long and varies in
width. There are eight bridges in this section of the route.
•
US 341 to Altamaha River park- This segment is approximately 3.5 miles long
and varies in width. There are four bridges in the section of the rail corridor.
Construction of the proposed route would cost approximately $22,747,725 just for the
four sections in Glynn County.
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Figure 5-5: Rails-to-Trails Glynn County
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Future Direction
There are several bicycle and pedestrian planning efforts underway in the BATS area.
The connectivity between the proposed improvements in order to create a safe and
efficient multimodal network must be monitored as the various improvements are
selected for funding and are implemented. The bicycle and pedestrian network must
provide connectivity not only within itself, but to other modes of transportation such as
the transit network and to appropriate activity centers and neighborhoods. Figure 5-6
shows potential expansion and connectivity of facilities.
BATS staff will work with Glynn County and the City of Brunswick to develop
ordinances requiring the construction of sidewalks near activity center development such
as schools, subdivisions, retail centers, medical centers, and intermodal facilities.
Maintenance of the existing and new bicycle and pedestrian facilities is critical to the
development of a safe, useable transportation network. The incorporation of ADA
standards in the construction of these facilities is imperative to ensure the accessibility by
all persons desiring to use the system.
The implementation of bicycle or sidewalk facilities should be incorporated into larger
roadway projects when possible to reduce the mobility costs associated with the
construction of such facilities. All buses serving the BATS area should be equipped to
carry bicycles to ensure multimodal connectivity. Finally, amenities such as bicycle
racks, drinking fountains, and benches should be included at activity centers to promote
bicycle and pedestrian friendliness in the BATS area.
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Figure 5-6
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