Richland County approves $480,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All project, awards contract to Kimberly Horn

The Richland County transportation committee voted to award a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant project to Kimberly Horn for $455,000, with a total project cap not to exceed $480,000.

Director Maloney, presenting the staff recommendation, said the $480,000 project total includes $384,000 in federal funding and $96,000 from the county’s road maintenance fund. "We are recommending in this project toward the work to Kimberly Horn in the amount of $455,000 with a not to exceed amount of 480,000," Maloney said.

The project will produce a countywide safety action plan and a pavement condition index (PCI) review for county roads. Maloney told the committee the procurement evaluation prioritized schedule and scoring; the selected firm offered a one-year plan that best matched the county’s grant schedule. He said other nearby jurisdictions, including the City of Columbia, are also working with Kimberly Horn and that results will provide overlapping data on pedestrian hot spots and incident rates.

Committee members asked whether the grant funds specific roads; Maloney said the award funds a countywide study and planning process, not immediate construction on a named road. He said public participation will be part of the action-plan process and that the federal grant timeline requires project completion within one year; if necessary, staff would request an extension because the grant spans two years overall.

The committee voted to approve the contract award. The clerk recorded roll-call yes votes (Pugh, Livingston, Weaver, Aline, Maki) and announced the motion carried.

Staff will finalize the contract with Kimberly Horn and begin the planning and public-engagement steps required by the grant. The county plans to use the PCI results to help rank future resurfacing and pedestrian-safety projects.