The Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center, through its Active and Accessible Community Transit (AACT) Coalition, is leading an initiative designed to improve and adopt equitable and inclusive environments for active transportation to everyday locations and recreation for all communities in Lexington County.
In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranked South Carolina fourth in the nation for pedestrian-related fatalities. The South Carolina Department of Highway Safety ranks Lexington County among the Top 10 counties in the state for fatal and serious pedestrian injury resulting from vehicular accidents.
In 2023, South Carolina held its inaugural Walkability Action Institute where emphasis was placed on teams that focused on servicing disadvantaged, rural, or minority areas. Each team had to consist of a public health professional, an elected official, a planning professional, and a transportation expert. Cayce-
West Columbia was one of the selected teams and was the only team considered urban.
In the Walkability Action Institute teams were also challenged to be creative and forward-thinking. The Cayce-West Columbia team had the additional challenge to think of an idea to increase non-car moveability that would benefit both municipalities. The team was a subset of the Active and Accessible Community Transit (AACT) Coalition. Dara Brown, a Cayce resident, and the Senior Community Health Coordinator for DIP at BLEC serves as chair of AACT.
“This is step one of a long process,” Brown said. “But I know we have to set something in motion that will last well beyond our time and make our community streets safer and friendlier for everyone.”
From its deliberation, AACT decided to create an approximate five-mile, safe, inclusive, and protected walk/ bike Arts District Loop that connects through West Columbia and Cayce. The loop will increase safety, active tourism, and economic development for the area. The goal of the loop would also improve connectivity for lower income and historically Black areas to access everyday destinations along the loop, including banks, pharmacies, healthcare facilities, food access, and jobs.
“BLEC appreciates the leadership of Dara Brown in this initiative,” said Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, BLEC executive director. “Every effort to save lives is both significant and important and this cause is no exception for pedestrian safety.”
In March, AACT implemented a pop-up bike lane demonstration at the City of Cayce’s Soiree on State. A pop-up demonstration project is a temporary installation to bring attention to overlooked spaces, address neighborhood issues, or demonstrate desired improvements within a public or sometimes private space such as a vacant building or underused lot.
The Cayce demonstration covered one city block and was up for about six hours. It
included protected bike lanes (traffic calming), public art, and surveying community members. Over 950 people navigated through the demonstration on foot or on bicycles. Over 100 people stopped to talk to AACT members and completed the survey meant to gauge community interest in walk/bike infrastructure. The next demonstration will be held in West Columbia on May 10.
AACT has completed several walk audits to evaluate the pedestrian experience and identify issues that impact safety and accessibility. Reports are created and shared with city officials and representatives from the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Future walk audits will be held in both West Columbia on April 8 and in Cayce on May 8. The public is welcome to attend.
For more information regarding AACT initiatives, please contact Ms. Dara Brown at 803-744-1969 or via email at dbrown@brookland.cc
