Road Safety Enhancements Planned for Gervais Street

News Summary

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is set to implement significant road safety improvements on Gervais Street in Columbia following concerns from residents about a high number of crashes. Proposed enhancements include upgraded sidewalks, new signage, added medians, and LED traffic signs. Community feedback is welcomed until April 10, with construction targeted for 2026-2027. These changes are part of a larger initiative to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety throughout Columbia, supported by recently secured federal funding.

Road Safety Improvements Coming for Gervais Street in Columbia!

Exciting news for residents of Columbia! The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is planning a series of road safety enhancements on one of our busiest streets—Gervais Street. This stretch, which runs between Gist Street and Millwood Avenue, is getting some serious attention, and it’s about time!

Why the Need for Improvements?

Residents have been voicing their concerns, and rightly so! Over the past five years, Gervais Street has seen a staggering 1,700 crashes. That’s an alarming figure, and among these incidents, there have been at least 70 crashes involving pedestrians. Clearly, something needs to change to make this bustling corridor safer for everyone—drivers and pedestrians alike.

What Enhancements are Being Planned?

So, what’s on the table? The proposed changes include:

• Sidewalk upgrades to provide smoother paths for pedestrians.
• New and improved signage that should make navigating the street a lot clearer.
• The addition of medians to slow down traffic and give pedestrians safer crossing opportunities.
• LED-enhanced traffic signs that grab attention when it matters most.

These improvements are all based on actual crash data and pedestrian counts. SCDOT is being smart about this—using real information to guide their decisions.

Voices from the Community

April 10. This is a great chance for locals to have their say!

Timing and Funding of the Project

Now, let’s talk about when we might see these enhancements. SCDOT is targeting construction to begin in 2026 with hopes of wrapping everything up by 2027. The funding will be coming from traffic safety allocations, which is fantastic news for our community!

More than Just Gervais Street

There’s a big-picture goal here, too. The improvements at Gervais Street are part of a larger initiative to tackle pedestrian and vehicle safety across Columbia. Local leaders stress the importance of increasing pedestrian awareness, especially at busy intersections.

Additionally, Columbia has recently secured a whopping $204 million in federal funding for various projects, including the Assembly Street Railroad Separation project. It’s clear that the city is committed to enhancing overall walkability and safety.

A Bright Future Ahead!

Beyond Gervais, SCDOT plans to implement signal upgrades, improve crosswalks, and roll out broader pedestrian enhancements throughout Columbia. This is all part of an exciting push to not only improve infrastructure for residents but also to better market our lovely city to visitors.

As these enhancements come to fruition, they will undoubtedly help make Gervais Street—and the greater Columbia area—a safer and more enjoyable place to be, for everyone. Here’s to the future of road safety in our community!

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Additional Resources

• Post and Courier
• Wikipedia: Transportation in South Carolina
• WISTV
• Google Search: Gervais Street Columbia traffic improvements
• The State
• Google Scholar: Columbia traffic safety
• Island Packet
• Encyclopedia Britannica: traffic safety improvements