Plan to alleviate Columbia’s train problem in line for boost from SC budget
Columbia’s long-standing desire to eliminate traffic backups caused by trains going through town is in line to get some help from the General Assembly.
Among the earmark requests in the House budget is a $20 million ask from state Rep. Kirkman Finlay, R-Richland, and state Rep. Seth Rose, D-Richland, to help with railroad improvements in Columbia.
Local and state leaders have long sought a solution to frequent traffic jams that occur when freight trains come through town, closing the intersections the railroads share with motorists.
A current proposal to fix the problem would see 15 crossings along the Assembly Street and Huger Street corridors eliminated through a combination of elevating tracks over the road, elevating a roadway over the tracks and abandoning a southern stretch of CSX track between Blossom Street and Andrews Yard.
Getting it done will require between $180 and $220 million, according to estimates from the state transportation department. The state and the city of Columbia are working together to apply for federal grants to cover the bulk of the work. Each of the grants being considered requires a local match of tens of millions of dollars.
The $20 million is only a portion of what is needed. Finlay is hoping to secure a total of $35 million from the state. The city and county are expected to contribute a combined $15 million, for a total of $50 million.
“We’re going to the county to talk to them,” said Finlay, who added he hoped the county could use its penny sales tax revenue.
But he hasn’t ruled out asking for an additional earmark.
“If the economy stays reasonable, I’ll be back next year, using my strategy of begging,” Finlay said. “We are asking the state for money. We may be entitled as citizens to it, but it is not a foregone conclusion that it’s ours. We need to be gracious and be thankful when we get it.”
The $20 million from the state helps with the right of way acquisition for the project, which could take years to complete.
“But it gets us moving,” Finlay said.
Where the $15 million from the city and county will come from is still up in the air.
Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann has said the Richland County penny tax program could be one source of funding for the local match.
“The city is going to get this done one way or another,” he said, adding that the support from state lawmakers will help position the city to receive federal money.
“This is critical to fixing a 120-year-old problem that affects every community in the Midlands,” he said.
Richland County Council had not discussed the project as of May 3, chairman Overture Walker said earlier this month.
“While the reduction or elimination of rail lines that interfere with the free flow of traffic across major thoroughfares has the potential to greatly improve the quality of life for county residents, this potential project has not yet been considered by County Council,” Walker said via email.
“Council met earlier this year and at that time set our funding priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. However, I intend to engage my colleagues on County Council about ways we can increase cooperation between the county and city and whether the rail elimination project can be an avatar of said cooperation.”
Walker did not respond to a request for additional information before publication.
Other Midlands earmarks
In total, more than $400 million in earmarks have been proposed between the House and Senate budgets.
House budget writers included $327 million worth of earmarks proposals in their budget. The senate proposed $91 million for member projects. The Senate had less money to spend this year on earmarks, as it wants to include a $1 billion rebate back to tax filers.
For the second year in a row, budget writers included money for a proposed Lexington County Convention Center. Last year, lawmakers included $1 million for planning a convention center. This year, state Reps. Chris Wooten and Paula Calhoon, Republicans from Lexington County, received $5 million in the House budget to go toward the construction of the convention center.
“Our community is growing,” Calhoon said. “We need somewhere to go to have our business community expos. We need places where the pro fishing tournaments can be held. There’s just a big need. Just anything that would be an economic booster.”
Money also is proposed to go toward a facility for the Department of Social Services in Richland County.
Finlay secured $300,000 to help pay rent on the agency’s Richland County office, which is slated to move to a new location.
The current location on Two Notch Road is in very poor condition, Finlay said. The agency is in the process of moving to a location at the Columbia Mall.
“It will be adjacent to several other agencies that they deal with a good bit,” Finlay said. “It will be more efficient.”
Both budget proposals include $1 million for the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens.
The $1 million for Columbia’s zoo would go toward deferred maintenance projects, spokeswoman Susan O’Cain said in an email.
The money covers only a portion of the zoo’s $12 million worth of ongoing and needed projects, according to a document provided by O’Cain.
State Sens. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington, and Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, and state Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston, requested the money.
Senate earmarks
State Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland
▪ $200,000 for the Antioch Senior Center
▪ $30,000 for the Lower Richland Diamond Festival
▪ $2 million for statewide African American History Tourism and Marketing
State Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Richland
▪ $300,000 for the James R. Clark Memorial Sickle Cell Foundation
▪ $500,000 for Town of Arcadia Beautification
State Sen. John Scott, D-Richland
▪ $100,000 for Allen University
▪ $50,000 for Benedict College
▪ $250,000 for Voorhees University
▪ $50,000 for Claflin University
▪ $700,000 for the S.C. Institutes of Innovation and Information
State Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington
▪ $5 million West Columbia Riverfront repair and expansion
State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington
▪ $300,000 for the Courage Center
▪ $500,000 for the Real Champions Pilot Program
▪ $100,000 for the S.C. Cervical Cancer Awareness Initiative
▪ $50,000 for the Camp David Summer Academic Enrichment
State Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland
▪ $25 million for the South Carolina Quantum Association - Quantum Computing System
House earmarks
State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, D-Richland
▪ $50,000 for the Juveniles Upholding Morals and Principles of Society
▪ $150,000 for Tri-City Visionaries
▪ $50,000 for the Harriet Barber House
State Rep. Wendy Brawley, D-Richland
▪ $100,000 for then Community Vision of Hope
State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland
▪ $100,000 for the Township Auditorium
▪ $100,000 for the Elmwood Park Cemetery
▪ $150,000 for the YMCA of Columbia
▪ $350,000 for the State Museum
▪ $1.5 million for the City of Columbia Greenway
▪ $9 million for the Williams Street Gateway infrastructure, requested along with state Rep. Seth Rose, D-Richland
▪ $1 million for the International African America Museum, requested along with Stavrinakis and state Rep. Deon Tedder, D-Charleston
State Rep. Beth Bernstein, D-Richland
▪ $500,000 for Town of Arcadia Beautification
▪ $250,000 for the Friends of Harbison State Forest
▪ $1 million for Finlay Park
▪ $1 million for the Holocaust Council
▪ $2 million for the Anne Frank Center
State Rep. Kirkman Finlay, R-Richland
▪ $250,000 for the Palmetto Project
State Rep. Paula Calhoon, R-Lexington
▪ $8 million for the Lexington Greenway Extension, requested along with state Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, state Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington and state Rep. Chip Huggins, R-Lexington.
▪ $1 million for the Lexington County Fire Service
State Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Richland
▪ $5 million for the Unumb Center - Disabled Residential and Occupational Center
State Rep. Leon Howard, D-Richland
▪ $100,000 for the Greater S. Farrow Rd Community Development Foundation
▪ $300,000 for the C.R. Neal Center
▪ $300,000 for the Trinity Education Community and Conference Center
▪ $150,000 for Dianne’s Call
▪ $300,000 for the Antioch Senior Center
▪ $600,000 for the S.C. Business Advancement Center requested along with Finlay.
State Rep. Chip Huggins, R-Lexington
▪ $40,000 for St. Michael’s Historic Slave Cemetary
▪ $150,000 for the Palmetto Foundation
▪ $374,500 for the Brain Injury Foundation
▪ $500,000 for the Charleston Animal Society, requested along with Finlay, state Rep Joseph Danning, R-Berkeley, and state Rep. Chris Murphy, R-Dorchester.
State Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington
▪ $200,000 for the Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center
▪ $301,461 for The Courage Center
This story was originally published May 13, 2022 at 11:29 AM.
