Richland County transportation director reports project delays tied to DOT permits, land acquisition

Mike Maloney, Richland County director of transportation, told the Transportation Penny Advisory Committee that multiple county road and sidewalk projects remain active but face coordination and permitting delays.

Maloney said the county's transportation program had expended roughly $639,000,000 to date and then reviewed a package of road, sidewalk and widening projects. "Trailmakers ... need an encroachment permit from South Carolina DOT. So we're waiting for that," Maloney said. He reported Pine View Road is in land acquisition with 44 of 49 parcels turned in and that the county has begun issuing payments to property owners. "There may be some condemnation involved" on remaining parcels, he added.

The update also covered Lower Richland Boulevard, where final drainage design is being resolved near Branch Creek and private commercial property. On Broad River Road, Maloney said the county is down to a handful of parcels to negotiate; roughly 18 potential condemnation cases remain and engineers recommended capping a 54-inch water main rather than relocating it. That change led designers to propose two smaller detention basins flanking an existing stream rather than building a single large basin, he said.

Maloney said several sidewalk and greenway projects — including Green Creek Greenway and other sidewalk segments shown on the packet maps — are awaiting DOT encroachment permits. He described the encroachment process as separate from the county's larger DOT agreements and said some applications get routed to multiple DOT experts, which can lengthen review times.

Other project notes included: - Atlas Road widening: nearing completion of stage 1 of utility relocations; the project is being planned in three stages and staff are evaluating timing to bid road construction segments in coordination with utility work. - Kelly Mill Road: a public information meeting is scheduled Wednesday, May 21, 6–8 p.m. at the YMCA off Lake Carolina Drive to review planned improvements for the 1.2-mile corridor from Hardscrabble Road eastward. - Percival Road and Sunset Drive sidewalks: both under construction; Sunset Drive work includes curb, gutter and retaining walls with the road open to traffic. - Resurfacing and district packages: several resurfacing and bid packages (noted in the packet as Duro packages) are in bidding or closeout phases.

Maloney told committee members the county will need to coordinate staging and timing with the City of Columbia on some parcels and with DOT on encroachment permits. He also noted recent large numbers of land-acquisition submittals were processed through accounts payable and checks issued to property owners.

The report prompted a committee request for a clearer communications contact to notify the public when projects are about to begin so staff can prepare photos and outreach. Maloney suggested staff can meet with communications to align timing for larger projects such as Atlas Road and Garner's Ferry intersection changes.

The committee took no formal action on the projects during the meeting; Maloney's presentation was received as an informational update.