The city is moving forward with addressing rail-related traffic congestion along Assembly Street, backed by $204 million in federal funding. The project looks to improve safety and connectivity in one of downtown’s busiest areas, with three potential design alternatives under consideration.
This map shows the boundaries of the Assembly Street Railroad Separation Project.
Photo via Assembly Street Railroad Separation Project
The three options
Alternative A: Rail bridges over Assembly Street, with the road lowered by 18 feet.
Alternative A-1: Similar to A, but includes direct rail access to local industries.
Alternative B: Assembly Street bridges over rail lines, requiring fewer rail modifications.
SCDOT plans to select a preferred design this month, with the Environmental Assessment scheduled for April and a final NEPA decision expected by mid-year. Construction is estimated to take 18 to 24 months once it begins.
Free Fridays | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Riverbanks Zoo and Garden | Free | Richland and Lexington County residents enjoy free general daytime admission every Friday through January and February.
City of Columbia Food Truck Fridays | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | REI Co-Op Parking Lot | Free | Grab lunch from Brown Bag Deli, Wise’s Fish and Fries, La Dolce Vita Pizza, or Smok’in Pot lined up at the REI Co-op parking lot.
Saturday, Jan. 11
Comic Con | Through Sunday, Jan 12 | 10 a.m. | South Carolina State Fair | $25 | The two-day event features celebrity guests like Gates McFadden from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and John Schneider from “The Dukes of Hazzard.”
Accessibility Morning - Clifford the Big Red Dog | 9-11 a.m. | South Carolina State Museum | Free | Accessibility Morning provides free access for families of children, teenagers, young adults, and adults who would benefit from a quieter, sensory-friendly, and disability-adapted experience at the museum.
Lake Murray Bridal Show Winter 2025 Show | 1-4 p.m. | Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center | $10 | Meet with top vendors, sample food, win door prizes, browse beautiful displays, and get all the information you need to make your special day perfect.
Arrive early to enjoy a glass (or two) of diverse wines that are not regularly available. | Photo by Heather Marie
Step into a world of musical splendor during “Wolfgang & Wine,” an unforgettable evening of vibrant rhythms and enchanting melodies with the South Carolina Philharmonic on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Enjoy wine specials at concessions and performances of:
Gabriela Lena Frank’s lively “Concertino Cusqueño”
Richard Strauss’ “Duet Concertino” (for clarinet and bassoon)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s majestic “Symphony No. 39"
Bonus: Don’t miss the free behind-the-scenes look at the program from conductor Morihiko Nakahara at 6:30 p.m.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for parts of the Midlands, effective from 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Saturday, with freezing rain, sleet, and hazardous travel conditions expected. A winter weather advisory also affects surrounding counties. (WLTX)
Edu
Schools in Richland + Lexington counties are dismissing early today due to winter storm watches, with dismissal times varying by school. All after-school programs and events are canceled. (WLTX)
Award
USC football head coach Shane Beamer was named SEC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the 2024 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award. Beamer led the Gamecocks to nine wins, a school-record four ranked victories, and their highest ranking since 2013. (Gamecocks Online)
Civic
Columbia City Council approved a $1.6 million purchase of five vehicles for the Solid Waste Division, including trucks and a street sweeper. The investment is part of the fleet modernization efforts to improve waste collection efficiency. (Cola Daily)
Listen
On episode two of the All Good Books podcast, host Jared Lee Johnson chats with poet and National Book Award winner Nikky Finney. They discuss her creative process, holiday reflections, and the enduring influence of Nikki Giovanni’s work.
Outdoors
Four planets in one view. Every night this month, look for Venus, Saturn, and Mars all in alignment. Pull out a telescope, and you’ll also be able to spot Uranus and Neptune. (NASA)
Sports
What’s behind the Hornets’ defensive turnaround? Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the Charlotte Hornetswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Trending
A Midlands lottery player spent $10 on a scratch-off ticket and won $500,000. “I felt content,” she said. “I have no worries.” Here’s what game she won.*
This map shows the subwatershed border to reduce flooding in the area of Marion Street between Elmwood Avenue. | Photo via City of Columbia
The City of Columbia started construction on the Marion Street Bioretention Project to reduce flooding and improve water quality in the area. The project, which broke ground on Monday, is being funded with $1.9 million from the South Carolina Office of Resilience’s ARPA Stormwater Infrastructure Program.
Located between Elmwood Avenue and Laurel Street, the project will replace outdated stormwater infrastructure with five bioretention cells, or rain gardens. These areas, planted with native wetland vegetation, will help filter stormwater runoff, reducing pollution in the Smith Branch watershed.
“The City is looking to improve the water quality in the Smith Branch watershed through the use of natural filtration in the Marion Bioretention Cells,” says Aaron Marshall, Civil Engineer at the Columbia Water Department of Engineering. “The cells will filter runoff stormwater that ends up in the Broad River. The project will also replace some asphalt with vegetation and upgrade some aging storm drainage pipes.”
The construction phase is being managed by the South Carolina Office of Resilience, in collaboration with the City of Columbia. This project is part of ongoing efforts to address the city’s stormwater management challenges.
The Buy
The Buy
New car insurance. Real talk — car insurance prices are expected to jump 22% by end of year, according to a recent study. It’s worth shopping around and comparing rates on Money’s Best Car Insurance list to make sure you’re getting the best price.
If you’re headed to the women’s basketball game Sunday to watch the Gamecocks take on the No. 5-ranked Texas Longhorns, make sure to stay in your seat at halftime. To celebrate 50 years of varsity women’s sports at the University, there will be a halftime on-court parade of alumnae, joined by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, USC President Amiridis, and Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati.
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