BLYTHEWOOD – Richland County announced details of its plan to upgrade and widen Blythewood Road during a news conference last Thursday at the Richland County Public Works entrance at 437 Blythewood Road, in Blythewood.
The road widening is part of a $15.6 million Penny Tax project and will extend west from the I-77 interchange to Syrup Mill Road.
Improvements include widening the two-lane stretch of road to four lanes and adding a 15-foot turning median, as well as adding 10-foot shared-use paths on both sides of the road.
Elected officials from both Richland County and the Town of Blythewood as well as the Richland County Transportation staff were on hand to share plans and answer questions about the project.
A separate upgrade of the widening project involves building a multi-lane roundabout on Blythewood Road at the entrance to Cobblestone Park neighborhood.
With the upgrades, county officials say they aim to increase Blythewood Road’s capacity, allowing for more vehicles to travel the area and, by adding a dedicated left-turn lane, cutting wait time for vehicles to turn there.
The new shared-use paths will allow pedestrians, bikes and small vehicles to access Blythewood Road without affecting traffic.
The roadwork has begun and will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. County officials say they expect one lane to be open in each direction, but that while work is ongoing, temporary delays for drivers are possible. The 35 mph speed limit will not change.
For more about improvements to this section of Blythewood Rd., visit www.richlandcountysc.gov/transportation or call 844-RCPENNY.
