Bull Street property projected to have 16 entrances if state engineers OK traffic study

COLUMBIA, SC The expansive Bull Street development would have 16 entryways along the four major roads that frame the property.

Five entryways would be located along Colonial Drive, that forms the northern boundary, and along Harden Street on the east side, according to a long-awaited but just released, 1,311-page traffic impact study.

Bull Street, which is the west edge of the 181-acre site, and Calhoun Street along the southern border each would have three entrances to the property, the study shows.

Maps that are part of the study done by engineers hired by Hughes Development depict the entrances as well as the proximate locations for the three phases of construction by the time the property is built out in 2020.

The study was submitted last week to the state Transportation Department, which must approve roadwork on state-maintained roads that will channel traffic into and through the development. The city of Columbia, which is partnering with the state agency as well as with the master developer, released the study late Tuesday.

The first phase of construction is largely the city-owned minor league baseball stadium and office/retail space immediately adjacent to the $37 million ballpark. That phase is projected to be finished by year’s end.

Phase 2 stretches along Bull Street and includes a section that touches Calhoun Street. That phase is to include “high turnover” and “quality” restaurants as well as a 10-screen movie house, a hotel, about 480 multifamily apartments or condos and a fitness club. That phase is to be completed by the end of 2018.

The last phase is, physically, the largest and stretches from Boyce Street east to Harden, north to Colonial and south to Calhoun streets. It effectively wraps around the stadium. Efforts Wednesday to reach Robert Hughes, son of master developer Bob Hughes, for details about the final phase were unsuccessful.

Of the five entrances each along Harden and Colonial, one on Harden is designated as a major entryway while three along Colonial are considered by the engineers to be major. All three along Bull and two along Calhoun would be major entryways. Two of the major entrances from Colonial would lead to and encircle a 19-acre public park that is to be built on the property.

State transportation engineers must review the entire study and approve the plan before granting Hughes encroachment permits that would clear the way for road work.

Bryan Jones, engineering administrator for metropolitan Columbia, said he’s never seen a traffic study as large as the one submitted for Bull Street. Jones estimated last month that a 100-page study would take his staff a month to finish reviewing.

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Bull Street property projected to have 16 entrances if state engineers OK traffic study."