On a whim I decided to map out downtown Columbia's bike infrastructure based on time of installation. This view really reveals that lots of progress has really happened over the last... essentially only 4 years or less. **This shows that Columbia's budding bike network has grown rather quickly. Very cool!** ![[bikeinfra.gif]] ## So what comes next? A few options. Current resurfacing projects on Pickens St & Barnwell St are both great opportunities for bike facilities. These SCDOT resurfacing projects were caught late (sigh), but we feel confident lanes will be included as part of the restriping, thanks to tireless work of City Staff, SCDOT District 1, and our Statewide Elected Officials. Pickens will more than likely happen first. Barnwell TBD. Additionally, the new Congaree Waterfront Park & [[Williams Street Extension Project]] will also become incredible major draws for connectivity and lead to a tremendous amount more progress in the next 5 years. We are really, really proud that our new [[Cola Bike Wayfinding Pilot]] pilot has finally connected a lot of the existing infrastructure and has led to really positive outcomes as well (thanks again, City Planning!). Signs will be included on the new Williams St, and dovetails nicely with our [[low stress bike map]] project we've been working on as well. Things are moving up! What else? There's a few outstanding things we think could have a positive impact to expand the network further... **Richland County Penny 1 Bikeway IGA** **City of Cola** **Projects** **what is this?** - [agreement between RichCo & City of Cola](https://citycouncil.columbiasc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Resolution_2021_059_Bike_Infrastructure_IGA_Richland_County.pdf) in which RichCoPenny 1 turned over bikeway funds to City of Cola to execute. This happened in 2021, & the attached agreement includes a list of projects. Those projects are/were the Calhoun Bike Lane project (completed 2024), the Washington St Bike Lane project (to be completed sometime after City of Cola completes their new central office downtown & the new skyscraper is built), and 3 very interesting bike boulevard projects, which I've mapped below in light blue..... ![[RichCo-IGA-proj1-CollegeGreeneLaurensBlvd 1.png]]![[RichCo-IGA-proj2-WilliamsHeywardLincolnBlvd 1.png]]![[RichCo-IGA-proj3-RiverParkWayneBlvd 1.png]]although Bike Boulevards here in Cola have been traditionally just been sharrows and speed bumps.... this could include better traffic calming, landscaping, & so much more at a relatively minimal cost. This would be tremendous for expanding our budding bike network into some of Columbia's first ring neighborhoods, and also assist many neighborhoods with so many desires to calm traffic in their neighborhoods ([Elmwood Neighborhood has installed planter boxes to daylight intersections themselves](https://www.facebook.com/elmwoodparksc/posts/you-may-have-noticed-that-the-traffic-calming-bollards-on-park-street-have-been-/1190264386458803/) on Park St, for example, as pictured below.) ![[539108514_18524256733002055_3416072390973992025_n.jpg]] Leveraging the existing pilot [[Cola Bike Wayfinding Pilot]] as a guide for wayfinding and destination targeting would really go hand in hand with this project. Strategically it also would help connect both River Dr's buffered bike lane & the one existing Bike Blvd on Barhamville Rd to other parts of our network, beyond the connectivity of the low stress routes that CTBC has identified. These could happen relatively fast, especially compared to larger investments that are upcoming like the Vista Greenway Extension, Williams St ext, etc. ![[colabikepedJune2026 1.png]] here's a map of the current infra as of June 2026 ^^ ![[fullcolabikeinfra 1.png]]and here's a map with all the IGA projects, the new Waterfront Park/Willliams St & a fully baked out Vista Greenway. I am missing the Vista Greenway x Canal connection, but yall know where that is.