If you are looking for a great way to get some exercise while in Charleston and get some amazing views of the city and not spend a dime…well just simply strap on some comfortable walking shoes and hit the pedestrian path of the newly built, Arthur Ravenal Bridge.
When we used to live in Charleston, I remember crossing the old bridge when my mom took me over to Mt. Pleasant to appear on the TV show Romper Room . (Yes, I was a child star and no autographs please! :). My mom would hold her breath and pray the whole time to make it across the bridge.
The bridge we crossed was the second bridge located here at the time and was built in 1966 and was named the Silas N. Pearman Bridge, but most people simply called it the Cooper River Bridge. The bridge was a cantilever truss bridge. The bridge served the daily infest of travelers but by as early as 1979 it was obsolete and deteriorating. There was not an emergency lane on the bridge and the bridge could not carry the weight of the ever increasing larger trucks that passed over. By 2000 the bridge simply was not high enough to accommodate the larger cargo ships and the massive cruise ships that would soon add to the city’s economy. Plans had been in place for many years to replace the bridge but with the burdening economy that could be made from the cruising industry, the city leaders knew it was time to replace the bridge.
Bridge construction began in 2001 and it was opened to the public in March of 2005. But a grand ceremony for the public was held on July 16th of that year after a week full of concerts and other events that ended with a spectacular fireworks display off the bridge.
The bridge was remained the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge after the retired SC Congressman. Yet even today if you ask about the Cooper River Bridge, folks will know what you are talking about. The new bridge features a cable-stayed design and is the longest such bridge designed in the Western Hemisphere. It runs from downtown Charleston to the city of Mt. Pleasant. It spans 1,546 (47m) feet. When it was completed it came in a year ahead of time and under budget. It was built by Parsons Brinckerhof and was featured on the TV show Extreme Engineering . It is home of the annual Cooper River Bridge Run held ever April. When the bridge was built a pedestrian path was also added to the design and is enjoyed today by locals and visitors alike.
On our last day in Charleston I drug my sleepy butt out of the bed, bundled up, and headed towards the pedestrian pathway. The bridge covers 3 miles from Charleston near E. Bay St. to Mt. Pleasant. If you are looking to pick the path up in Charleston, then looking for parking off E. Bay St. near the cruise ship terminal. If you are taking it from Mt. Pleasant look for parking around the Patriots Point area. It was only about a 10 minute walk from my hotel. The path is marked so you know how far you have walked.
The walk is a pleasant one and there is a side for walkers and joggers and ones for bikes. The path stretches 12 feet across. People here are pleasant and most great me as a converse the pathway in search of awesome views to capture with my camera. You will see plenty of other tourists with cameras in hand. At both pinnacles of the bridge there is a viewing area which has water fountains, benches, and a set area with great views of either city. One my way to Charleston I am treated with views of this sensational city and the cruise ship terminals. I can spot the aquarium and in the distance I can see the steeples of several of the historic and gracious churches. As I get closer I can also see the engineering that holds this bridge together. On the return trip I can a bird’s view of Mt. Pleasant and a full view of the massive Yorktown Carrier. As I get closer to the end of the bridge, in the distance I can see the newer Charleston Lighthouse. When I get to the end of the pathway I take another pathway that is still under construction. From the looks of things this greenway will eventually connect both side of Highway 17 in Mt. Pleasant via the pathway under the bridge.
The pathway is open to pedestrian traffic 24/7. It is lit up at night offering safety for those enjoying the views at night. Just use caution during inclement weather and high winds. For more information visit their website at www.ravenelbridge.net.
There are two other ways to enjoy the bridge.
If you would like to rent a bike go to www.thebicycleshoppecharleston.com
If you are a certified diver then you can dive the bridge. The place is a treasure-trove for fossilized shark’s teeth and the best diving is said to be in the fall. Just go to www.cooperriverdiving.com to sign up.
So come out and enjoy the views and walk off some of that marvelous low country cooking that you have bound to have consumed.
Very highly recommended