Share your thoughts tonight on plans to widen Broad River Road

As plans are made to widen a 4.5-mile stretch of Broad River Road, the public has a chance to share its thoughts on the project Thursday night.

A drop-in public input meeting is being held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Dutch Fork Elementary School, 7900 Broad River Road, Irmo.

The widening project, part of the Richland County transportation penny program, will stretch from Royal Tower Drive north to the Peak exit of Interstate 26 in Irmo.

The proposed plans include widening Broad River to five lanes between Royal Tower and Dutch Fork Road and to three lanes between Dutch Fork and the interstate. The widening could include bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. And additional improvements to Dutch Fork Road also are being considered.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in summer of 2020. About $32.5 million of penny sales tax funds have been budgeted for the project.