SCDOT studying possibility of reducing number of lanes on Harden Street

A recent SCDOT study found that the Five Points corridor of Harden Street is the deadliest in the state

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —Several people are calling for one of the major roads running through Five Points to get a face-lift.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is looking into the possibility of shrinking a stretch of Harden Street from four lanes to two lanes.

One local lawmaker and the Five Points Association say a refreshed Harden Street will make Five Points a safer area for people to visit.

“The DOT, through their data, has said it is the deadliest stretch of a few blocks for pedestrians in the entire state of South Carolina,” said State Rep. Seth Rose (D-Richland County).

The Harden Street corridor in Five Points (between Gervais and Blossom Streets) only runs a half-mile, but SCDOT says in a four-year window, that stretch of road had an average of 27 accidents per mile.

Some people say reducing traffic to one lane each way will make driving through the area safe for everyone.

“I definitely have to watch out when I’m jogging or running, especially with headphones in when I can’t really hear, so I definitely have to keep an eye out, look back and forth. I’m definitely all for it being more pedestrian friendly for sure,” said Jordan Coleman, who said he runs through Five Points everyday.

However, some say less lanes won’t solve any problems as more cars drive down the road.

“I feel if you’re going to truncate the road and the lanes, you’re going to have a lot of backup. Traffic in Columbia’s only getting worse, it isn’t getting better,” said Regina Hitchcock, who said she drives through Five Points often.

Still, some, like Steven Cook with the Five Points Association, says a change could work wonders for the business community.

“I think it’s the future of what small business districts located in cities are trying to get, and that would be more walkable, less cars around, more bike-friendly, stuff like that,” said Cook. 

The current SCDOT study started in February and will last until the end of April, when officials will analyze the data and see if they can go forward with the next phase of planning.