Staff Report
Published Feb. 12, 2010

The S.C. State Ports Authority’s new set of measures to ease the arrival of cruise ship passengers departing from Charleston will be tested when the Celebrity Mercury departs from the port on Monday with 1,814 vacationers headed for the Caribbean.

The SPA, Charleston Police Department and members of the city of Charleston staff have been working for the past three months to develop a plan to handle cruise traffic more efficiently.

The State Ports Authority has been working to increase the number of calls and departures by cruise ships to and from Charleston. A cruise ship redevelopment plan is in the works for the Union Pier terminal that includes moving the passenger terminal and creating open space for a more inviting feel to the property.

“We are thankful for the assistance of city staff, Chief Greg Mullen, as well as SCDOT in helping us to better handle cruise traffic,” said Jim Newsome, SPA president and CEO. “Effectively dealing with traffic has been raised in community meetings, and these changes will be put in place immediately.”
Business owners and officials will be able to see the plan in action on Monday as the Mercury will be the first cruise ship in 2010 to depart from the Port of Charleston. The ship is embarking on an 11-night voyage for the eastern Caribbean.

As a result of the discussions between the SPA and the city, several changes were made to handle how guests arrive for their cruises, including:

Re-routing incoming traffic
Cars from Interstate 26 will be directed to Exit 219B, which takes them to Morrison Drive. Vehicles are routed south down Morrison Drive and East Bay Street. From East Bay, vehicles are directed east on Chapel Street to Washington Street, east on Charlotte Street, and south down Concord Street. Concord Street ends at the new gate where cars will now enter terminal Gate 2 at the corner of Concord and Laurens streets. Limos, taxis and buses will continue to enter the Union Pier terminal main gate at 32 Washington St.

Better signage
More than a dozen permanent and temporary signs help guide guests along the route and inform locals on cruise embarkation days. The SPA is contracting for off-duty Charleston police officers to assist with traffic control.

Moving vehicles off city streets
The SPA has striped lanes inside its gates to effectively move traffic off of city streets and move it to the Union Pier Terminal. Approximately 250 cars can now be lined up on the terminal (not on the street) as guests arrive for their cruise. The combination of the new entry point and the striping should effectively take cars off of local streets.

Improving communication with residents, businesses
Efforts have been made to establish better communications both with cruise guests and the public. Residents, merchants and businesses can now receive regular updates and reminders on ship activity with a new “Cruise Notice” e-mail service. Nearly 1,700 people are already signed up. Such a notice went out Friday morning about the Celebrity Mercury’s departure.

The State Ports Authority said that most cruise ships departing from Charleston bring about 350 to 400 cars that park in SPA storage buildings and lots. Limousines, taxis and buses deliver the remaining guests. The agency noted that cruise traffic does not add to rush hour congestion in the region as ships leaving from Charleston typically board from the middle of the day until the early afternoon.

The new route to the passenger terminal aims to get traffic on the east side of the peninsula as soon as possible, and a detailed map and driving directions for the new route are available online.

When cruise ships are taking on passengers to embark from Charleston, there are two street closings, typically from 11 a.m. until around 3:30 p.m. at Concord Street just north of North Market and at Washington Street just south of Hasell Street. Street closings aren’t required when a cruise ship pulls into Charleston on a port of call visit, the SPA said.

Details on the cruise traffic plan, directions and the “Cruise Notice” are available online.