Richland County to Host Community Drop-in on Pineview Road Widening

Richland County will bring together the County’s Transportation Penny Advisory Committee (TPAC), the S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and The Comet for a joint 2023 State of the Penny Address. The public is invited to the live event at 6 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., Columbia. Space is limited.

The County’s Transportation Penny Tax program began in 2012, when residents voted to approve a 1 percent sales tax to fund much-needed transportation projects.

The Nov. 2 address will feature a brief history of the Penny program and highlight current and completed projects, as well as the positive impact the $1.07 billion generated by the program has had on roadways, pedestrian improvements, greenways and public transportation since its inception.

TPAC Chairman John Black will provide opening remarks. Guests also will hear from local and state officials about the significance of the Transportation Penny and the impact the investment by taxpaying residents has had on the quality of life in Richland County.

Attendees will be able to submit questions to be answered as time permits. Questions may be submitted online in advance and during the event at stateofthepenny@richlandcountysc.gov.

The State of the Penny address also will be streamed live on the Richland County YouTube channel. For more information, follow Richland County Transportation Penny on Facebook. To learn more about the Transportation Penny program, visit www.richlandpenny.com.

Richland County will announce plans to begin an extensive $4.3 million Transportation Penny project to build a sidewalk along Alpine Road that will connect S.C. Highway 12 (Percival Road) with U.S. Highway 1 (Two Notch Road). The project is slated for completion in August 2024.

The new sidewalk will cover more than two miles, making walking to local schools and businesses between Alpine and Two Notch roads safer and easier for pedestrians in Northeast Richland. The scope of the project also covers resurfacing of Alpine Road, from Percival to Two Notch. 

A celebratory groundbreaking is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31. The County will announce additional event details closer to the date.

The sidewalk and road resurfacing comprise one of the latest Transportation Penny improvement projects funded by a 1 percent sales tax referendum County voters approved in 2012. Additionally, the project will connect to the Polo Road shared-use path, a project previously completed with Transportation Penny funds.

For more information about active and completed Transportation Penny projects, important event dates and other Penny news, visit www.richlandpenny.com. 

(Richland PIO) – Richland County has finished construction of a redesigned intersection at Percival and Screaming Eagle roads in Northeast Richland. The project, which began construction in October 2022, was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. The $2.5 million completion cost comes in considerably less than the initial estimated budget of $3.1 million.

The project is one of many transportation improvements funded by the Richland County Transportation Penny program, based on a 1 percent sales tax referendum County voters approved in 2012.

“With funding support by the Transportation Penny from Richland County residents, the support of Richland County Council, and the outstanding planning and oversight of our Transportation team, we were able to keep this project running ahead of schedule, saving time and money,” said Michael Maloney, Richland County Public Works director. “More importantly, for motorists, the project makes this intersection safer, increases traffic capacity and improves traffic flow.”

The scope of the project called for realigning Screaming Eagle Road to bring the angle of the intersection closer to 90 degrees, improving safety for drivers. Screaming Eagle Road was widened, with left- and right-turn lanes added to improve capacity and traffic flow, and Percival Road was widened to add a new left-turn lane onto Screaming Eagle Road.

Find out the status of other Transportation Penny projects online at RichlandPenny.com.

(Richland PIO) – An upcoming informational drop-in meeting will update Richland County residents on planned upgrades to Pineview Road, south of Columbia. By widening parts of Pineview between Shop and Garners Ferry roads, the County aims to relieve road congestion in the area.

The informal meeting will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 20 at the C.R. Neal Dream Center, 2441 Atlas Road, Columbia. Attendees can review the project’s redesign plans at their convenience, talk with County Transportation staff about the project, and give feedback.

Proposed improvements to Pineview Road include widening the road from two lanes, one in each direction, to three lanes between Shop and Garners Ferry roads. The added lane will be a two-way independent left-turn lane along the length of the roadway. A new traffic signal at Pineview Road and American Italian Way is also planned.

“This project improves the intersections and the pavement in the area and adds a middle lane to help keep the traffic moving between Garners Ferry Road and Shop Road,” said Michael Maloney, Richland County Transportation director.

County staff have not yet established a timeline for the improvements, but construction is projected to start in 2024.

In addition to the June 20 meeting, residents can provide input in the following ways:

• Mail: Richland County Transportation Penny Department, 2000 Hampton St., Columbia, SC 29204
• Email: transportationpenny@richlandcountysc.gov

For more about the proposed improvements, visit the Transportation Department’s Projects page: www.richlandcountysc.gov/Government/Departments/Transportation-Penny/Projects.