$5.2 million overhaul to intersection of Bull Street and Elmwood Avenue now complete, say county leaders

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — According to leaders with Richland County, enhancements to a busy intersection in downtown Columbia are now complete.

Richland County Councilwoman Jesica Mackey calls the intersection of Bull Street and Elmwood Avenue the “front door to the county” with improvements serving as a “new face” for drivers to see as they head into the city.

“Folks are excited about it, they know that it’s needed and if you travel downtown for work, you know that this improvement helps your travel commute in the morning. I travel downtown for work and I’ve already seen the improvement in my travel time,” says Mackey.

The $5.2 million overhaul to the intersection of Bull Street and Elmwood Avenue is funded by the “Transportation Penny Project”  — bringing an addition of turning lanes, upgraded traffic signals, road resurfacing, and improved crosswalks for pedestrians.

“It’s always exciting when you can complete a transportation project for Richland County residents, especially one that is funded by the penny. Residents wanted this, they voted for this, they wanted to see these improvements and so anytime we can complete a project, I think it’s a time to celebrate in our community,” she says.

The intersection will also be an entrance into the Bull Street District, which will have a number of restaurants, shops, offices, and living spaces for hundreds of new residents.

And with 43,000 vehicles passing through the intersection each day, Richland County Councilman Paul Livingston says the revamp was vital for traffic flow.

“In all the time I’ve served on the county council, if someone asks me, ‘what’s the most transformative initiative that’s occurred while you’re on the county council?’ I have to tell them it’s the transportation penny program, because of how it impacts people’s lives and how it impacts things like economic development, public safety and so forth. So it’s been by far one of the most transformative things we’ve done,” says Livingston.

Since its inception in 2012, Mackey says the “Transportation Penny Project” has helped complete over 500 upgrades and projects with a cost of over $700 million.