North Augusta officials outline multi‑phase plan to improve Riverside Village parking and pedestrian safety

Assistant City Administrator Jamie McCauley delivered the Riverside Village parking and pedestrian safety update at the Northwest City Council study session, describing a three‑phase plan that would use a one‑time payment from a hotel ownership settlement to fund near‑term safety fixes and create a path to longer‑term parking management.

“This is the update we’ve all been waiting for. It’s Riverside Village parking and pedestrian safety update,” McCauley said, opening the presentation and asking council members to hold questions until the end of the slide deck.

McCauley said phase 1 would include “low cost, high impact” fixes: installing crash‑rated bollards, enhancing and repainting crosswalks, and painting curbs in existing no‑parking zones. He said the resolution on next week’s agenda (Resolution 2025‑22) would authorize the initial work and carries a maximum expenditure of $163,111.90, funded from a one‑time lump sum payment tied to the Crowne Plaza ownership change.

Tom Caesar, the city’s engineering and public works director, described sites where crews are already working on stormwater and wastewater repairs and supported the safety interventions McCauley outlined. McCauley said the bollards would be crash rated and some would be removable for deliveries or special events; the design examples shown included decorative “baseball bat”‑style bollards discussed with Riverside Village stakeholders and the Green Jackets organization.

Councilmembers pressed staff for details on spacing, accessibility and enforcement. Councilmember John asked about bollard spacing and whether golf carts would be able to pass; McCauley said the bollards would be spaced so “you could not fit a car or a golf cart through.” Councilmember Kevin and others urged lighting or active signals at key crosswalks; McCauley confirmed the city is considering RRFBs (rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons) and rumble‑strip/textured approaches to improve accessibility.

As part of phase 1 staff proposed more permanent crosswalk treatments between the hotel deck and nearby properties, touch‑ups to existing crosswalks near Augusta Oncology and Beacon’s Bluff, and clarified wayfinding to reduce confusion about where visitors should park. McCauley said the project team met with Clemson University and the City of Clemson to review parking best practices.

Phase 2 would move to an RFQ for vendor services (deck maintenance, valet, towing, enforcement technology and payment systems) and could add limited trolley service, valet deployment and designated golf‑cart and motorcycle parking. McCauley presented an experimental trolley route that would run Fridays 4 p.m.–10 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m.–10 p.m. for 90 days; the plan includes a proposed overflow stop at an East Buena Vista lot to reduce pressure in Riverside Village on game days and other events.

Phase 3 envisions revising the master parking agreement with property owners, updating ordinances for enforcement, studying deck ingress/egress changes and considering EV charging. McCauley told council that ongoing third‑party enforcement litigation in South Carolina could shape what enforcement approaches the city can adopt.

Council consensus was generally favorable to the multi‑phase approach and to placing the phase 1 resolution on the upcoming consent/regular agenda. Several councilmembers asked staff to move quickly on an RFQ for phase 2 and to include accessibility and clear signage in the short‑term work. McCauley said the city would publish a communication plan for businesses and visitors and return with status updates at future study sessions.