In February 2012, a video classification of traffic was conducted and found that 98% of vehicles traveling the Boundary Street Corridor were passenger vehicles, 1.5% were single unit trucks, and less than 1% were combination tractor-trailers. The improvements for Boundary Street and South Carolina (SC) 170 are designed to accommodate single unit trucks and intermediate tractor trailers.
Emergency Vehicles & Evacuation Scenarios
Periodic breaks in landscaping will allow for median crossings by emergency vehicles. Also, emergency responders will develop response plans that take into account the geometry of the improved road. The Beaufort Fire Department and Police headquarters are located near the intersection of Ribaut Road and Boundary Street, putting them extremely close to the affected portions of Boundary Street.
Traffic signals will include an emergency vehicle pre-emption system to improve response times, reduce potential for crashes and minimize obstructions to emergency vehicles along the corridor. This system coordinates green lights for responding emergency vehicles. Opposing and conflicting traffic lanes are given red lights.
In addition to these design features, the parallel road and system of gridded streets will be useful for emergency vehicle access. Also, the raised median doesn’t preclude the use of all four lanes for outbound traffic in times of evacuation.