COLUMBIA, S.C. — Work is underway on the final phase of a project to improve South Main Street in downtown Columbia, but it means the area right behind the state house is a bit of a construction zone.
When it’s done, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) says it will improve pedestrian safety and enhance the look of the area.
A project that started in February of 2023, the South Main Streetscape Street Project is underway, SCDOT says this phase includes the construction of curbs, driveways, drainage structures and wider sidewalks.
“I definitely think that if it was easier to get through that street that it wouldn’t be as big of an issue, I do feel like we’d have a lot more business,” Cammy Thompson said.
Thompson is owner of Strange Times Vintage, a vintage clothing shop on Pendleton St. in Columbia.
“They actually blocked off the entire sidewalk and made people go across the street toward the state house so they were completely bypassing our shop and that did affect things. that was back in march, they’ve opened the sidewalk since then,” Thompson said.
The construction stretches from South Main St. behind the State House down to Blossom St.
Around the corner from the vintage clothing shop, Stephen Pinnell is the manager at Immaculate Consumption, a sandwich shop on Main St.
“Business wise we’re still doing really well. We still get a lot of foot traffic. The construction team company has been really helpful with creating sidewalks for people to walk,” Pinnell said.
SCDOT says when completed the project will reduce the number of vehicle lanes to two, add wider sidewalks, install bike lanes, bury utility lines and plant new trees.
Although it is not in the plans currently, business owners say the area would benefit from more parking.
“Just the more ways people can get to the businesses is obviously better, I just think bike lanes in general are needed addition to the city anyway and if they do add parking that would be fantastic because there’s not really a good place if you don’t live on campus or don’t live near here near enough to walk to park without paying pretty high prices,” Thompson said.
According to SCDOT, they are looking to have the project complete by the summer of 2025.