Downtown Columbia Streets to be Repaired Following Three Pedestrian Deaths over Four-Year Period

COLUMBIA, SC – According to an online report at thestate.com, an area of Millwood Avenue is going to be heavily repaired after three pedestrian deaths occurred over a four year period.

The Richland County Transportation Commission earlier this week awarded $485,000 for repaving the roadway as well as lane changes for the area of the road between Gladded Street and Devine Street.  The Commission is also awarding the city $35,000 to install a traffic signal at a hazardous intersection located on Millwood Avenue.

The stretch of the wide four lane roadway has experienced three pedestrian deaths over the past four years and dozens of vehicular collisions, which most include rear end and angle crashes with drivers attempting to turn left.

“I felt like we were waiting for someone else to get killed,” said a state representative who, along with another representative, led the way for the money to be earmarked for roadway improvements. 

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and the City of Columbia are looking to install a traffic light at the intersection of Millwood Avenue and House Street.  It enables a person to activate the light when they are attempting to go across the roadway.

The person will be able to push a button and stop cars from proceeding, per the SCDOT’s traffic engineer.  The signal should be installed by July, per the engineer.  South Carolina and the city of Columbia will be splitting the costs of the traffic signal, which is expected to save lives.

Furthermore, the online report notes that the City of Columbia is considering the following changing the lanes once it resurfaces the road:

• establish a 11-foot center turn lane;
• mark a smaller 6-foot “pedestrian refuge” center lane; or
• establish a 10-foot center turn lane and bike lanes.

The neighborhood will be able to provide input on their preferences in this regard.

Accident News is a driver safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com -click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article231943308.html