River Drive Buffered Bike Lanes
About the Project
SCDOT began resurfacing River Drive in February of 2024 as part of their regular maintenance schedule. As the City’s adopted Walk Bike Columbia Master Plan had specific recommendations for buffered bike lanes along River Drive, SCDOT worked to explore a restriping plan with bicyclist accommodations in accordance with SCDOT’s Complete Streets Directive. Given the width of the vehicular lanes along River Drive, the design was able to accommodate buffered bike lanes within the existing right-of-way and roadway surface without reducing the number of travel lanes.
Councilwoman Herbert hosted a public meeting on May 29, 2024 at Earlewood Park with City of Columbia and SCDOT staff, where over 80 people attended and showed overwhelming support for the project.
SCDOT issued a notice to proceed to their striping contractor, who then had to work the detailed handwork into their contract schedule.
This project improves safety for all users.
This resurfacing and restriping project improves safety not only for bicyclists, but also for motorists and pedestrians. How?
- Vehicular lane widths were right-sized – and where extra wide lanes can cause drivers to speed, narrower lanes help cue drivers to travel more carefully and at appropriate speeds.
- Pedestrians crossing River Drive have a shorter distance to cross across vehicular lanes, and may experience fewer conflicts with bicyclists along the existing sidewalk due to the provision of on-street facilities.
- Bicyclists have an on-street facility they can utilize with an extra striped buffer; bicyclists can still utilize the sidewalk if desired.
I have some questions - tell me more?
Why did implementation take so long? Is the project complete?
Yes; SCDOT’s contractor has completed the project.
The project was implemented as designed and discussed during the public meeting in early November. The striping contractor’s availability during what has been a busy paving season in the Midlands dictated the project schedule. The application of thermo (the reflective tape used to delineate travel lanes, the bike lane and buffer area) required detailed handwork and therefore took longer to work into the schedule.
I live on River Drive - where do I put my trash, recycling, and yard waste?
Roll Carts should be placed in the grassy area between the road and sidewalk so as not to impede pedestrians or bicyclists from safely traveling the corridor.
Yard waste does need to be place at the curb and mostly on the pavement to avoid damage to private property. Bagging can help, but is not required. Please refrain from placing your yard waste out until collection day if at all possible to maintain safe travel for all users.
Can I park in the bike lanes?
No.
Per S.C. Code 1976, 56-5-3425, motor vehicles may not block the bicycle lane and shall yield to a bicyclist in the bicycle lane before entering or crossing that lane.
I need temporary access to a moving truck or delivery vehicle. How do I ensure safety for all users?
Loading or unloading of goods that resulting in temporary blockages of any lane of travel (including bike lanes and sidewalks) should employ best safety practices to ensure visibility and warning to users, such as through deploying traffic cones and use of hazard lighting.
Where blockages will impact the right-of-way (vehicular lanes, bicycle lanes, and/or sidewalks) for more than a few minutes, temporary encroachment permits must be obtained. As River Drive is a SCDOT roadway within City limits, permits must be obtained from both SCDOT and the City. Learn more about those application processes here.
Who do I call for debris in the bike lane?
The City’s Solid Waste Division maintains a regular street sweeping rotation along corridors, including River Drive. For urgent requests regarding hazardous debris, please utilize the MyColaSC app or contact Solid Waste at 803-545-3800.
For concerns with driver behavior or lane blockages, citizens with concerns regarding illegal parking, abandoned vehicles, or aggressive driving may call CPD Central Dispatch at 803-545-3500 to have an officer respond to immediate safety concerns.
I'm concerned about driver behavior - who should I call?
For concerns with driver behavior or lane blockages, citizens with concerns regarding illegal parking, abandoned vehicles, or aggressive driving may call CPD Central Dispatch at 803-545-3500 to have an officer respond to immediate safety concerns.
Who can use the bike lane?
Bicycles (including bicycles with e-assist) are the only users of bike lanes allowed by law.
Motorized vehicles are prohibited from using bike lanes – this includes, but is not limited to, mopeds, motorcycles, golf carts, and e-scooters*, and automobiles.
*E-scooters, or motor scooters, may not be operated on any public street in the City which has a speed limit of 25 mph or greater, or on a public sidewalk (City of Columbia Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12, Article 1, Section 12-5).
Do I have to ride in the bike lane?
Bicycles are required to ride in the bicycle lane except when necessary to pass another person riding on a bicycle or to avoid an obstruction in the bicycle lane. Bicyclists needing to make a left turn movement may take the vehicular lane as necessary.
City ordinance does not prohibit bicyclists who wish to ride on the sidewalk from doing so, with the exception of the area bounded by the road centerlines of Elmwood, Assembly, Sumter, and Gervais* – River Drive is not within this boundary.
*City of Columbia Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12, Article 1, Section 12-3(a).
I missed the public meeting back in May - can you share what was presented?
The materials provided at the May 29th River Drive meeting are linked below.
About The Plans + Policies That Support Implementation
The rights-of-way in our City are dedicated to public use, and the majority of those rights-of-way are dedicated to use by motor vehicles. The City of Columbia went through an extensive public planning process in 2014-2015 which, among other things, re-examined how we could better allocate our rights-of-way to provide safe access for users of all modes of transportation. The resulting plan, Walk Bike Columbia, was first adopted as a policy document in 2015, and was reaffirmed through the adoption of the Columbia Compass comprehensive plan in 2020. The Walk Bike Columbia plan identifies policies, programs, and – especially relevant here – infrastructure projects, including the installation of buffered bike lanes along River Drive, that can help make walking and biking safer and more attainable throughout the City.
Much of the City’s road network is actually operated and maintained by SCDOT – that amounts to approximately 70% of our roadways, and almost all of our major transportation corridors. In 2021, SCDOT adopted a Complete Streets Directive (DD28) that provides guidance on the provision of multimodal infrastructure within rights-of-way maintained by the State of South Carolina. This directive requires SCDOT to consider the recommendations of regionally-adopted plans as part of SCDOT-led projects (such as routine resurfacings), to improve multimodal safety and access throughout the State.
Are you interested in taking part in future multimodal planning efforts? Consider signing up for our Walk Bike Columbia e-newsletter, learning about + taking part in our bi-annual pedestrian and bicyclist counts, and more, here.
Contact Us
If your questions are not addressed above, Planning Division staff will do their best to connect you with answers. Please email us at transportationplanning@columbiasc.gov, or call us at 803-545-3222.