By Summer Huechtker | September 29, 2020 at 6:03 AM EDT - Updated September 29 at 7:47 AM
RAVENEL, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Transportation will not recommend lowering the speed limit at a Ravenel intersection people who live there say can be dangerous.
The agency will present the present results of a safety study to Ravenel town leaders Tuesday.
Ravenel Planning and Zoning Administrator Mike Hemmer says people have complained about the safety of the intersection of Savannah Highway and SC-165 and the high speeds along Savannah Highway.
“Highway 165 and 17 is a pretty fast and pretty dangerous intersection,” Hemmer said.
That’s why the town asked for a speed study to determine if the existing speed limit of 50 mph should be lowered.
The area studied along Savannah Highway extends a little over two miles from Landover Road to the 60-mph speed limit change west of the intersection with SC 165.
The review period was from January 2017 to September 2019. During this time, 122 collisions occurred in the study area - five of which were fatal.
SCDOT also found that 56% of the vehicle’s sampled were going faster than the posted speed limit.
SCDOT determined a speed limit should not be lowered, but based on the collision history, it does recommend adding along Savannah Highway approaching the intersection.
This includes a warning sign with flashers when approaching the intersection and improving all signal ahead warning signs by adding reflective sheeting.
The town of Ravenel says SCDOT also asked the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office to increase speeding enforcement in this area.
Town Council will receive the study at Tuesday night’s 6 p.m. meeting, which the public can attend online.
Members of the public will be allowed to speak during the meeting.
The Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Council of Governments has identified this area as a candidate for funding for improvements to the bike/pedestrian paths and signals.
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