Richland County completed improvements and widened a 1.7-mile stretch of North Main Street, extending from Anthony Avenue to Fuller Avenue.
The widening and repaving project was possible thanks to Richland County’s Transportation Penny Program — a $1.07 billion initiative, voted on by Richland County citizens in 2012 . The Transportation Penny Program will be utilized for 22 years or until the budget runs out.
See a complete list of projects the billion-dollar budget is supporting pertaining to paving, resurfacing, pedestrian improvements, intersections, and more.
Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and other Councilmen attended a ribbon cutting to celebrate the end of the widening of North Main Street project. We’re recapping the details of this improvement project.
Project details
Upgrades to the ~1.7-mile stretch include:
- A widened + repaved the road
- Enhanced roadway aesthetics by developing designated crosswalks
- Improved landscaping
- Increased night safety by implementing street lighting + more pedestrian routes
- Some relocated utilities underground.
According to this prioritization of widening projects document , the North Main Widening project ranked No. 4 in priority and cost ~$53 million.
Budget breakdown
- $30 million from the Richland Transportation Penny program
- $16.65 million Tiger Grant
- $1.3 million Federal Earmark
- $5.4 million from the City of Columbia for water and sewer work.