East Cooper News

Here in Mount Pleasant, much of our traffic comes to and from the Ravenel Bridge. There are very few other paths running North and South in the area, so when the bridge closes down, gridlock occurs all over the area. After a tanker was involved in a collision on May 26th, the bridge had to be shut down from 12:30am to 7:30pm. We asked our readers on facebook to share how their days were effected.

Josh L Instead of sitting miserably in traffic i settled up at the bar of The Alley and enjoyed some half priced nachos and a couple cold beers

Amy H My hubby was stuck in traffic for two an half hours just to get me at work . I work in mount pleasant . He told me the bridge was shut down , he tried going another route but got stuck in more traffic . Buy the time he got me at my work around 630 pm he was pretty wiped out . But I feel pretty blessed to have a hubby who’s willing to wait two an half hours in traffic just to get his wife .

Leigh N I was in Mount Pleasant when the bridge closed, so I stopped for lunch…only to realize when I went to pay for my food that I had left my wallet in my beach bag yesterday…and it was downtown. I had to leave my phone with my waitress and then sit in traffic for 2 hours to get downtown to get my wallet back.

Laurrie R So sad… Daughter’s 10th birthday and I couldn’t make it home from work at MUSC to take her to dinner! Still in car @ 8:22 pm. Just hitting 526… Another hour to go per Waze! Told her I’d snuggle when I got home bc she will b asleep. Tears 

Zhanna O I work in Mt. Pleasant and I live in Summerville.left work at 5:30 so bridge closed, 526 bumper to bumper, so I decide to go 41. I never realized how beautiful Mother Nature is that way. Highly recommend just drive there one day!!! Got home at 8:15 in one piece. Thanks God!!! My family was waiting for me, my Mommy cook my dinner. Life is good!!!!!! God Bless America!!! That’s what I always says!!!!!!!!

Julia L We were on the bridge taking a nice stroll on the bridge when the wreck happened ( 30 feet away) So we had to continue walking from the bridge to the water taxi. After a long walk in the hot Charlston heat with for toddlers. We finally made it back to our cars on the Mount Pleasant side to get ice creamall in all it was a great adventure!!

Paige M Got my nails done and went on a long walk downtown, not too terrible 

Sally P Great day for a water taxi!

Diane I We are visiting Charleston from Atlanta. Today is our anniversary… I made surprise reservations for a cooking class downtown at Cooks. Needless to say… No cooking class! so we went over to Poe’s on Sullivan’s island. The bartender gave us a Moscow Mule on him. Thank you Poe’s! Hopefully we can do the cooking class next anniversary.

Cindy P I’m grateful for the bridge fiasco-otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye to my dear friend in MUSC losing her battle with cancer! I would’ve been home instead. Thank you God.

Carol C I walked part of the West Ashley Greenway – since I couldn’t get to my Jazzercise class. Loved it – walked just long enough to be able to drive over after the bridge opened. Thanks to my friend who saw it on the news flash and alerted me!

Kara M Cindy’s story is the best. I couldn’t think of anything positive to say about today’s traffic but she sure did.

Lyn N After a long stressful day at work, no lunch then getting stuck in traffic for 2 hours and 15 min I am starving with nothing in my car but a bottle water and two packs of jelly from Hardee’s. Oh yes I did. Lol. It was like a little snack. One grape one strawberry.

Tara V First day back to work after being on maternity leave and when I went to pick up my sweet little girl I ended up in traffic for 3-1/2 hours. She ran out of food so by the time I got to her she was crying and so hungry wishing there were more than two bridges to Mount Pleasant!

Muriel H left my office downtown by Roper Hospital at 4:07, walked in my door at 7:07. Made it to the exchange at 26/526 after two hours. It was amazing to me how people wait to the last minute to get in the right lane to get to Mt. P and expect people to be nice and let them in as we have been sitting there for so long. It was extremely frustrating. Love Charleston but sucks when the Ravenel is closed!

Laura S Took my father in law to a Dr’s appointment in Mt. Pleasant. We left St. Matthews, SC (about 1 hr and 30 minutes away)about 11:30 am for a 2 pm appt…finally got there at 2:07pm. Traffic was at a stand still for over an hour and a half. Took us an hour to go 5 miles. Got stuck in the same traffic and rush hour traffic in the way home. Left Mt. Pleasant at 5 pm, got back to St. Matthews at quarter til 9!!!!

Ana H Left work at 4:35pm (Johns Island), make it home (Mt. P) at 7:20pm. Traffic was awful!!!!!

Katrina H The one time being a stay at home mom wins 

Debbie D Proud to be a Charlestonian! Decided to have dinner @ Graze in Mt. P. with my bff instead of getting in traffic headed to WA. A news producer (previously from Atlanta) told us he could tell we were from Charleston because of our good attitude. Cindy Perrin’s post touched me. God’s timing is perfect timing in our imperfect world. I pray everyone is safe tonight. God bless. Peace be with you.

Beverly C I had a procedure at Roper downtown this morning. Left Roper at 1:30pm and finally got to Mt P around 4:20pm. Picked up my child, SUV that had been in the shop, and poor dog that had emergency surgery on Sunday. We all got home after 6:30pm. Crazy!!

Trudy M Went to JI around 11:15 and saw the accident. Took an hour and a half to get home at noon to iop. Crazy day!! But went back to JI around 8:30 with no problem. Nb was heavily traveled but when we came back it was fine! Downtown earlier was a parking lot where ever people could park to go nb

Jo S My normal 45″ commute from downtown to mt p took 3.5 hours…my husband picked up kids, fed, bathed, & put them to bed for me… I arrived home at almost 9pm to two sleeping angels!
sorry I missed their goodnight kisses & story time but I know this was not a normal day for any of us!

Jill M So … I had hip surgery may 4th, today was my 1st day back in N Chas at the MUSC wheelchair clinic. Was scheduled for a short day as … Well it was my first day back. I finally got home at 8pm, iced my hip, then took my required walk, finally ate a bite at 9. Now I’m too pumped to go to sleep. Gonna try this again tomorrow…

Tasha R Was headed to mt pleasant via 526 and it took an hr to just get onto 526 then another 40 minutes after that to get were I needed to be…was late to work. But my friend was w me so we got to talk the whole time…so it was all good ta me…

Shalay S Being stuck in this traffic from picking up my mom from the Roper Dowtown hospital makes me not want to get back on the road for a WEEK! Not looking foward to seeing that many cars at one time any time soon. My dad said “Well whoever doesnt have an attitude sure has one now.” I know i did.