Commuters in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties will have access to a better trip to work and back with the launch of Lowcountry Go (www.lowcountrygo.com), a pilot commuter services program that launched today.
Lowcountry Go, or Low Go, connects tri-county residents with real commuting solutions such as first-mile and last-mile options, transit routes and park and ride locations. The convenient interface of the Ride Low Go web tool will also allow users to safely connect with others through carpools and vanpools – all while aiming to relieve traffic headaches, saving money and reducing environmental impact.
A regional partnership between Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, large employers and stakeholders, Low Go's goal is to reduce congestion on area roads and improve quality of life. It's an increasingly important effort, as a recent regional survey found 90 percent of workers commute alone.
Participants and those interested in the program, which is free of charge, can get started by visiting www.lowcountrygo.com and registering with Ride Low Go to explore ways to improve their commute and connect with other commuters in the region based on origin, destination, time, date, or events.
“We know that population and economic growth – paired with limited financial resources – will require new ideas and programs to help alleviate traffic congestion and accommodate growth,” said BCDCOG Executive Director Ron Mitchum. “Lowcountry Go marks the first time our region is changing its thinking about how we use our roads. If we want meaningful traffic relief in the coming years, we'll have to adjust our traveling habits and behaviors.”
The Lowcountry Go program also:
Low Go will implement and build on employee- and employer-based programs that encourage changes in commuter behaviors – and strive to reach an overall goal of reducing traffic congestion in the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester region.
The Low Go announcement was made on the campus of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), one of the region's largest employers. A project steering committee, which included local agencies and regional large employers, such as MUSC, provided valuable insight and knowledge into the development of Lowcountry Go.
“In order to effect real change, we need employers – who are thriving here – to be on board by offering options like: flextime, compressed work weeks, work from home and more, in addition to benefits like transit passes or financial incentives,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Vic Rawl.
BCDCOG staff will be meeting with employers in the coming months as part of a major outreach campaign. Businesses interested in learning more about Lowcountry Go should contact Mobility Manager Vonie Gilreath at (843) 529-0400 Ext. 214 or vonieg@bcdcog.com.
In addition to LowcountryGo.com, the program can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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