Council adopts Greenwood County Safe Streets for All action plan

Greenwood County Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2026‑15 to accept the Greenwood County Comprehensive Road Safety Action Plan, developed with Safe Streets for All grant funding and local bike-and-ped funding from the county’s 2016 capital project sales tax.

Mr. Skinner summarized the plan’s process and priorities, noting a $200,000 grant that funded the action plan phase (with approximately $120,000 remaining in local bike‑and‑ped funds for initial improvements). Staff and consultants analyzed killed or seriously injured (KSI) crashes since 2017, identified high‑priority corridors (including segments of Bypass 72, Montague Avenue, Highway 34 and Highway 25), and recommended five strategy areas: shared‑use path network build‑out, safer school zones, cross‑town routes upgrades, rural road safety measures and policy recommendations.

Highlights included proposed connections from Grace Street to Lander and Greenwood High, improvements on East and West Cambridge corridors, and safer crossings where multiuse trails meet high‑speed roads. The action plan positions the county to seek larger federal implementation grants (grant opportunities in the $2.5–20 million range were discussed) to fund major projects such as a proposed $5 million Greenwood High corridor project.

Council voted to adopt the plan so staff could pursue implementation grants and use the plan as a framework; adoption does not itself obligate immediate county spending. Council noted that adoption was a prerequisite to compete for larger federal funds.

Next steps: Staff may apply for federal implementation grants and use local bike‑and‑ped funds for initial projects identified in the plan.