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South Carolina State University students living in the University Village housing complex should have a safer alternative when crossing the heavily traveled U.S. 21/U.S. 178 Bypass to reach campus, says a university planning and construction official.

“I am greatly concerned that unless additional improvements are done at that intersection, we will have some injuries and even some fatalities,” S.C. State Associate Director of Planning and Construction Al Lindsay told the Orangeburg County Transportation Committee this past week at the panel’s quarterly meeting in Orangeburg County Council Chambers. “That area is rapidly urbanizing ... and that corridor is one of the top 10 most heavily traveled roads in Orangeburg County.”

In an effort to ensure the safety of students and all pedestrians, Lindsay released a preliminary proposal to the Transportation Committee of the university’s plan to construct a $1.5 million pedestrian bridge crossing the Bypass.

The pedestrian bridge would be about 12 feet to 14 feet wide and about 17 feet high. The walk would have two towers on either end as entry-ways to the bridge. The travel distance on the walk would be about 500 feet.

The pedestrian walk would go from the Williams Court S.C. State tennis courts to the western parking lot at University Village.

Lindsay said the pedestrian bridge proposal follows a six-month feasibility study conducted by Columbia-based engineering firm BP Barber.

The project likely would be funded by the university, state and county entities.

Lindsay also said Orangeburg County Deputy Administrator for the Community Development Division Harold Young has expressed enthusiasm for the project.

Because of a state moratorium on new construction projects in place until Nov. 6, no work can begin now, Lindsay said.

But when the process does begin, he says it would take about six to nine months to design the bridge, two to three months of contract negotiations and about two months of on-site work.

Lindsay said currently there are about 300 students living in the University Village, but with the university looking to expand housing to handle recent student housing shortages, he expects foot traffic to increase.

“We are looking at the numbers doubling there in the not-too-distant future,” he said. “It would really continue the paradigm of where we have been heading down in really cleaning up that area of campus and creating a spectacular venue for visitors, and it will help identify one of the entry points of this campus.”

The committee received the presentation as information and no decision was made on any funding mechanism.

‘Terrible’ dirt road

In other matters, Willie Mae Prioleau of Dunkenfield Road said the dirt road is “terrible, terrible, terrible.”

“It needs to be fixed,” Prioleau said, explaining that her mother pushed for the road to be paved over eight years ago and has passed the baton. “It needs to be paved. I would like some answers.”

The approximately 2-mile road connects S.C. 45 and S.C. 6 near Eutawville.

OCTC Chairman Dr. Jesse Kinard told Prioleau the committee would look at the nature of the road, how critical the need is and available funds.

“I know it is kind of frustrating,” Kinard said, explaining that state funds are limited and it can take a long time to pave roads.

Under the state “C,” or local improvement, funds program, the county can pave about 3 miles of road each year. Currently, Orangeburg County gets about $2 million a year from “C” funds with 25 percent having to be spent on existing paved state roads.

The priority is based on age of road, nature of deterioration and amount of traffic.

Because of the reduction in red tape and private sector engineering costs, committee officials and Orangeburg County Council agreed last year to allow dirt road pavings to be handled in-house.

There are about 1,100 miles of unpaved roads in the county.

County transportation committee officials have estimated that over a recent two-year period, the funds received from the state have been used to pave about 6 or 7 miles of road, compared to the county’s in-house paving of about 60 miles over the same period.

It costs about $335,000 for the state to pave a mile of road, about $80,000 a mile more than it costs the county.

Master plan

In an effort to improve operations, Kinard said the committee is forming a master plan that would project how better to tackle the county’s transportation needs. He stressed collaboration with the S.C. Department of Transportation, Orangeburg County and the city of Orangeburg to better ensure everyone is getting a fair treatment.

“We all gain more when we put up a little something,” Kinard said, highlighting the importance of doing what is best for the residents and citizens of Orangeburg County and “their human welfare.”

One of the project requests received by the committee is from the town of Santee and Mayor Silas Seabrooks.

The town, which is currently constructing a conference center, has requested the committee obtain local improvement funds to pave turning lanes for the center. The request is for about $300,000.

Kinard said the committee is aware of the request but will have to review it before deciding on how to allocate funds.

“We need to know who are all the players,” he said. “Maybe we can partner with them. Santee is no doubt a growing area.”

When asked if the project funding would be a priority, Kinard said, “Any time a letter comes to us would be considered a priority.”

“We don’t have just one priority, but we have many priorities,” he said. “We will look at the service being rendered to the population size-wise. It is about the needs of the people. We have to take a look at that.”

In the interim, Kinard encouraged the town to “tap into all the resources” it can.

“I think it is smart to look for resources. There are a lot of ways to get resources to a project.”

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski @timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551. Discuss this and other stories online at The TandD.com

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