Council moves forward with Assembly Street Phase 2 design; staff says $3 million funding gap remains

The Columbia City Council approved, as part of the consent agenda, a contract to begin detailed design for Assembly Street Phase 2, a streetscaping and pedestrian-safety project that will extend previous work from Pendleton Street to Lady Street.

Assistant City Manager Clint Shealy told council the Phase 2 design will include pedestrian safety improvements, ADA upgrades, undergrounding utilities, median removals, curb bump-outs and other measures intended to reduce crossing distances and improve the corridor that serves as an entryway to the statehouse. Shealy said the detailed design phase will take “a little over a year.”

Shealy and councilmembers discussed project funding. Shealy stated a $13,000,000 project estimate that combines DOT grant-share funding and Richland County transportation gas-tax money; he said the city remains roughly $3,000,000 short of the full funding package and that the city has requested $5 million from the county’s extended penny program. Shealy also said a public outreach and input process is included with the design contract and that public meetings or charrettes are expected “within the first two months” after the design contract is issued.

Councilmember Brent (identified in the meeting audio by first name) praised the timing of the work and said the corridor can be dangerous for pedestrians. No amendments to the contract were recorded on the transcript; the contract moved forward as a consent-agenda item and was approved by roll call.

The project proponent said securing final construction funding will determine when the work moves from the design phase to construction. Council did not set a final construction schedule at the meeting.