For those of us not fortunate enough to live on a houseboat, the SCDOT has posted Charleston area evacuation routes in case the need arises for another mass exodus.

This is the most damaging earthquake to occur in the Southeast U.S. and one of the largest historic shocks in Eastern N.A. – USGS

Now that we are in hurricane season, that’s the first natural disaster that most people think of, but don’t forget, Charleston is overdue for a major earthquake too. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what that could do to many areas of the LowCountry. You can see Charleston earthquake projections on the USGS site yourself. Not to scare anybody, but that 100 year map is pretty alarming, especially considering that the last time there was a major earthquake in Charleston was back in 1886, and that’s outside the range of their map!

According to the latest census data out, it’s only getting more crowded around here, so be sure to leave early if authorities say to (avoiding the all day traffic jam my family sat in for Hurricane Floyd), and keep your emergency preparedness kit stocked and ready; you never know when you’re gonna need it!

I already touched on problems with developing, maintaining, and upgrading our transit systems in Urban Growth Projections For The Charleston Area , but urban growth for the Charleston area is an ongoing topic that surfaces from time to time – especially when visitors realize what a great location it is.

Here is the South Carolina traffic data by county which gives what we need to evaluate usage pattern projections. If SCDOT hasn’t looked at this technology yet, I encourage them to do so when they get a chance. It would not only help us get home safer and reduce traffic numbers, it would also improve the environment with fewer greenhouse gas emissions (CO2), add to the lifespan of our personal vehicles – since we wouldn’t be using them nearly as much – and add jobs to the local economy due to the infrastructure and manufacturing jobs necessary for implementing the technology.

You can view a gallery of pictures I grabbed from a Dual Mode Vehicle flickr photo stream which showcases the technology. There’s also a short video of Japan’s Dual Mode Vehicle in action here:

More Information

• The latest numbers from CARTA/li>
• Roadmap to Gridlock: The Failure of Long-Range Metropolitan Transportation Planning – the Cato Institute

I think this could be one possibility among many here in Charleston – we have plenty of rail laying around and we all know we have plenty of cars on the road. Just something to think about next time you’re stuck in rush hour traffic.