ISLAND IMPROVEMENTS
A Safer Stroll Takes Shape in West Beach
West Beach is a little more walkable with
infrastructure improvements, planned for
the area since March of 2019, now finished in
time for the summer season.
Last year, West Beach property owners
expressed concern about pedestrian safety
due to an increase in vehicular traffic from
recent and future development. Funded
jointly by KICA and Kiawah Partners, the
recently-completed work expands and
improves leisure trails in the area, as well
as adding speed tables (flat-topped speed
bumps) on the roadway to slow vehicular
traffic. Areas where paths cross the road
benefited from additional striping to draw
the attention of motorists.
Duneside Road’s curves were originally
designed to slow traffic in the area but
they also limited visibility. Roadside paths
were added in places where members often
walked in the roadway. Landscape changes
opened up lines of sights along the road’s
curves.
The Duneside area has long been part of a
favorite walk to the beach for West Beach
members. A popular leisure trail that comes
across Beachwalker Drive from Belmeade
Hall Road was rerouted to sweep around
behind the Kiawah Island Cottage Owners
Association (KICOA) pool on Duneside
Road. The new location of the path makes
the walk to the beach shorter and more
scenic. The path runs down near two beach
access points, boardwalk 1 and KICA’s newest
boardwalk next to Timbers. Boardwalk 0
was conveyed to KICA at the May 4 board
of directors meeting. Bike parking has been
added at boardwalk 1 for member’s use. As
a reminder, there is no vehicular parking at
boardwalk 1.
A speed table
slows traffic and
brings pedestrians
and bicyclists
higher up, making
them more visible
to approaching
traffic.
A leisure trail
that crosses
Beachwalker Drive
from Belmeade
Hall Road was
rerouted behind
the KICOA pool
for more setback
from the road.
Crossings on
Duneside Road
are clearly
marked. Visibility
of pedestrians at
crossings was a
concern cited by
members in this
area.
A newly-installed
trail takes walkers,
many of whom
are on the way to
the beach with
children, off the
road.
10 | KIAWAH ISLAND DIGEST