Myrtle Beach to add new bike, pedestrian logos around the city

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The City of Myrtle Beach is one step closer to making the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

The city established a new logo that will be used as a branding tool for bikers and walkers to know where it is safe to bring out your bike or go for a walk. Myrtle Beach City Council approved the logo for use with its many trails and multipurpose paths. The logo was designed for the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee, which is working to make it easier and safer for people to travel without a car.

“One thing we’re going to use this for is to talk about the safety aspect,” said Diane Mosqow-McKenzie with the City of Myrtle Beach. “A lot of people come here and they’re not familiar with our trails and our road system.”Mosqow-McKenzie said another goal is to let people know the city has increased bicycle-friendly areas and walkability. Myrtle Beach is also partnering with businesses in the Market Common to make them more accessible to bicyclists.

City representatives said people in Myrtle Beach have to be careful because some of the city’s roadways don’t allow for that, this is why having the new logos will be beneficial.

“We have some areas where that (biking / walking) is not safe to do in Myrtle Beach because we just don’t have enough room on the roadways for that. However, we do have a lot of roadways where we created bicycle lanes,” says Mosqow-McKenzie.

Myrtle Beach has some 40 miles of bike lanes and multipurpose paths and recently installed sharrows on roadways to indicate that bicycles and automobiles are required by law to share the roadway. One cyclist said he appreciates the effort by the city to protect bikers and walkers. “The ability to have the paths right there all the time makes it a lot easier to bike,” said George Limberis, a frequent cyclist.The city is still working out the details, so the costs of placing these logos around the city has not yet been determined. The process of working through the city manager and city council and getting the signs posted along the trails should take about six months to one year.

In addition to the newly designed logo, the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee suggested the paths within the city needed officials names. City council approved the names, which will clearly define the different routes for cyclists and walkers but will also make it easier for first responders to locate a victim in the event of an emergency.