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Parking will be more expensive in Columbia next year. Columbia City Council Tuesday finalized a plan to increase parking rates, parking tickets and other fees associated with parking in the city.

Council members have previously said parking rates haven’t been adjusted in the current system’s lifetime, or about 20 years.

Among the changes are:

With the new rates, the city stands to raise millions of dollars over the next several years, which will be used to further improve parking equipment, garages and other elements of the parking system in the city.

The new plan also calls for new equipment that will eventually replace coin-operated meters around the city.

The new rules passed 6-1, with at-large council member Aditi Bussells voting against the measure. Bussells opposed the plan because she wanted more focus on walkability and worried about the impacts on local businesses, among other concerns, she wrote in a Facebook post earlier this month.

An earlier version of the plan called for much higher parking rates, including $2 hourly street parking. During the measure’s first reading in November, city council members listened for an hour to testimony from residents representing homeowners, business owners, hospitality workers and others who worried the city’s proposed changes to the parking system would have unintended consequences across the city.

Multiple business owners said the increase in parking rates would be detrimental to their employees, who often look for street parking to avoid using parking garages late at night.

The city then walked back its plan and agreed to lower some rates. The city will also work with the business community to find a solution for hospitality workers who worry about safety when using the parking garages.

The new rates will go into effect March 1, giving people time to adjust to new equipment that will be installed in coming months.

Leaders have in the past called Columbia “a city of parking lots,” and have promised to work on reducing dated surface lots in addition to improving garages and the equipment for on-street parking.

In 2022, the council stripped certain parking requirements for some commercial buildings, reducing the number of parking spots required of small businesses.

During the meeting Tuesday, Rickenmann hearkened back to those efforts, saying that downtown still has a lot of unused parking.

“Now we’ve got an opportunity to be bold and different and new,” he said. He imagines high-tech upgrades to the system, like digital billboards on garages showing how many open spots are available, like other cities have.

To see all of the parking rates passed in the new ordinance, visit parking.columbiasc.gov.

This story was originally published December 4, 2024, 11:21 AM.

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More than two months after Hurricane Helene ripped through the southeast, a fence still blocks off the West Columbia Riverwalk as it remains closed with little word on when it could reopen to the public.

The half-mile-long portion of the trail that begins near the West Columbia Amphitheater and connects to the neighboring Cayce portion of the riverwalk has been closed since late September when Helene flooded the trail and caused extensive damage to the pathway. Meanwhile, Cayce’s riverwalk fully reopened last month, leading some to question why West Columbia’s section is still closed.

The holdup in reopening the walkway stems, in part, from the city of West Columbia awaiting necessary disaster funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to complete the project. City officials are set to meet with FEMA and S.C. Emergency Management later this month, a spokesperson for the city confirmed. Until then, officials say they will not have an estimated timeline for when the trail will reopen or how much the damages will cost.

“We’re waiting on landscape architects’ and engineers’ estimations and a FEMA site assessment,” city spokesperson Anna Huffman said.

After Hurricane Helene clobbered South Carolina, residents across the Midlands began to assess the damage in the early morning hours of Sept. 27. Public works trucks and utility line workers cleared the roads of fallen trees and downed power lines. Thousands across the state went days before power was restored.

Three days later, as upriver water from the Upstate and western North Carolina flowed down the Congaree River after historic amounts of rainfall, the river crested at 30.5 feet, fully immersing the West Columbia and Cayce riverwalks in water.

It took about a week from when the massive storm battered many parts of South Carolina for Lexington County to receive a disaster declaration from FEMA allowing West Columbia to submit a formal request for funds. The city submitted paperwork to FEMA on Oct. 14, Huffman confirmed.

But the city has only begun the process with FEMA, which requires site assessments and planning meetings before funding is given. It’s one of two key issues leading to the lengthy delay in opening. The other issue has been the extent of the damage caused to the trail by the storm. When flood waters receded, city officials found themselves stuck with a hefty task.

“Lots of times when you have storms come through, we go through and clean everything off and make the minor repairs, but when you have extensive damage from natural disasters you have to go through a different process,” West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles said.

So far, debris removal of things like fallen tree limbs is done and the city has reopened the parking lot, amphitheater and a very small portion of the trail. The rest is on hold until the city meets with FEMA.

The city leaned on FEMA’s disaster funds previously following the the historic flooding in 2015, which caused an estimated $2.2 billion in damages across the state.

The closure has thus far lasted a month longer than that of the Cayce riverwalk’s, which fully reopened Nov. 7. City park staff and hired contract workers cleared out fallen trees and dug the trail out from under a few feet of mud.

“[The water] stayed up for about a week,” Parks Department Manager James Denny told The State in October. “During that time, it deposited anywhere from 6 inches to a foot of soft silt and debris onto the parkway. Trees and stuff came down across the pathway.”

The damages on the Cayce side were significant and comparable to the historic flooding of 2015, Cayce spokesperson Ashley Hunter said. After Helene, Cayce had to replace one of its boardwalks, among the fixes that contributed to the city paying at least $100,000 to independent contractors for repairs related to the storm, Hunter said.

But officials from both West Columbia and Cayce have been quick to point out differences that allowed Cayce to move more efficiently on reopening the trail. West Columbia’s portion had more extensive structural damage, Miles said. And Cayce repaired its issues with its own money and has applied for reimbursement from FEMA, according to Hunter.

“It’s such an important part of our recreation and who we are as a city,” Hunter said. “Getting that reopened was something we knew we had to really focus on and do.”

Cayce’s quick cleanup is a bit of an anomaly. It’s more common for the cleanup process following a storm or flood to be a lengthy one. Following damages caused by the flooding in 2015, the Cayce Riverwalk didn’t fully reopen until 2018, and West Columbia’s section didn’t fully reopen until the previous year, according to previous reporting done by The State. Following other major hurricanes, a 2017 study found recovery efforts typically take about three months to begin in earnest and can take upwards of a year to complete.

“Even though it has been two months since the hurricane hit, that’s not that unusual if you’re thinking about these major projects that are rebuilding and so forth,” FEMA spokesperson Gerard Hammink said.

West Columbia officials are set to meet with FEMA before the end of December to get a clearer idea of the timeline for reopening.

This story was originally published December 7, 2024, 6:00 AM.

Holiday events and happenings in the Columbia area, December 5-8

Credit: WLTX

COLUMBIA, S.C. — It’s just a couple of weeks until Christmas and many local municipalities are hosting tree lightings and parades to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Even the weather is cooperating, with temperatures getting near freezing at night and gradually warming during the day to the mid-60s by Sunday.

So, if you’ll be watching a parade -- or six (Lexington, Columbia, Blythewood, Ridgeway, Elgin, and Pelion all have Christmas parades this weekend) -- or strolling through a light show, remember to bundle up (and maybe even sip some hot cocoa)!

Here’s a sampling of what’s going on this weekend in the Columbia area:

Holiday Lights on the River, 6-10 p.m. Saluda Shoals Park, 6027 St. Andrews Rd. It’s not only a dazzling display of lights, but activities such as the Winter Wonder Tube Slide, hayrides and train rides, laser light show on the Wetland Trail, Letters to Santa, and visits with the big guy himself on certain Friday and Saturday evenings. Santa and ticket information at this link.

Tim Turner: Songs of Celebration Exhibit, 11 a.m.-5 p. m. Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, City Art Gallery, 1224 Lincoln St. An exhibit of NC artist Tim Turner’s large-scale abstract paintings of the simple things that bring pleasure.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D, various times Tuesday-Sunday, South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St. The classic stop-motion cartoon follows the adventures of Rudolph and his friends Hermey the Elf and Yukon Cornelius… even the Abominable Snow Monster!

Eye to Eye: The Roefs & Waddell Collection, 1-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, Center for Contemporary Art, 701 Whaley. Over 100 pieces of art from the collection of Wim Roefs and Eileen Waddell, one of the largest private collections in South Carolina. Some artists represented include Leo Twiggs, Tyrone Geter, Laura Spong, Michaela Pilar Brown, Marcelo Novo and Virginia Scotchie

Kershaw County Tinsel Trail, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Wateree River Veterans Park, 550 US-1, Lugoff. Make plans to come out and see the amazing spaces local businesses/organizations have created with the decorated trees to get you in the holiday spirit.

Children’s Garden Christmas, 5-10 p.m. Edisto Memorial Gardens, 250 Riverside Dr., Orangeburg. This is a free family event through Edisto Memorial Gardens featuring thousands of lights along the drive and interactive displays along the Kid’s Walk.

Historic Columbia Holiday House Tours, noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, Robert Mills Gift Shop, 1616 Blanding St. Take a tour back in time to see how the Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion would have been decorated for the holidays during the 19th century. Guided tours last approximately 75 minutes.

French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950, Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St. A showcase of works from the era’s leading artists, including Paul Cézanne, Marc Chagall, Camille Corot, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, and more.

Holiday Planetarium Lighting, 4-7 p.m. South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St. Enjoy extended hours at the museum, take in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and Arora, meet Santa, sample bites from The Crescent Café and see the planetarium dome officially lit with a special holiday display.

Making Spirits Bright Holiday Pop-up, 5:30-9 p.m., Williams-Brice Stadium, Traditions Club, 1125 George Rogers Blvd. Gamecock fans can experience light shows, decorations and activities for kids. More dates include Dec. 7, 12, 13 and 14.

Snowball Christmas Craft Fair, 4-8 p.m., Icehouse Amphitheater, 107 West Main, Lexington. Arts and crafts, unique gifts, local vendors, food and more.

Student Choreography Showcase, 7 p.m., Drayton Hall, 1214 College St. Students at the University of South Carolina, under the direction of instructors Olivia Waldrop and Christopher Anderson, present original dance works.

Christmas in Cayce gets you into the spirit of Christmas with three days of events:

Midlands Clay Arts Society Holiday Sale, Thursday & Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Stormwater Studio, 413 Pendleton St. Shop for unique crafted gifts from local artists, ranging from sculpture to functional ware, jewelry and everything in between.

Junior League of Columbia’s Holiday Market, Thursday and Friday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. at State Fairgrounds, 1200 Rosewood Dr. Over 160 merchants to shop from during this four-day event. Parking is $5 during shopping hours. Tickets to Ladies Night Out (Thursday 6-10 p.m.), Holiday Ball (Friday, 6:30-11 p.m.), and Sundaes with Santa (Sunday, noon-4 p.m.) are sold separately. Events are in the Cantey and Goodman buildings on the fairgrounds.

A Nice Family Christmas, 7:30 p.m., Chapin Theatre Company, 830 Columbia Ave., Chapin. Family secrets are uncovered, and all kinds of dysfunctional fun ensues during a family Christmas gathering.

The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, 8 p.m., Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St. Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater and come out to enjoy the beloved holiday musical that takes place in North Florida’s premier mobile home community. Themed merch and buckets of PBR at the bar.

Fort Jackson Holiday Tree Lighting, 5-7 p.m., Patriot’s Park, 9518 Marion Ave. This event is open to the public. Celebrate the season with a holiday village, train rides, live music, ice sculpture, scavenger hunt and more.

Rod Wave: Last Lap Tour, 7:30 p.m., Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St. Rod Wave headlines with special guests Moneybagg Yo, Toosii, Lil Poppa, Dess Dior and Eelmatic.

Santa Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 7, 14 and 21. South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St. Enjoy a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus, see holiday shows, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D, explore 4 floors of exhibitions, shop for great SC-themed gifts in the Museum Store and more.

71st Carolina Carillon Parade, 10 a.m., Sumter Street, Columbia. The capital city’s parade features over 125 entries – from floats to marching bands!

Santa’s Market Craft Show, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Seven Oaks Park, 200 Leisure Lane. Vendors showcasing candles, home decor, clothing, jewelry, delicious food items, and so much more will be on site.

Elgin Catfish Stomp Festival and Parade, 10 a.m. Main Street parade (from Bowen Street to Green Hill Road) with the festival following at Potter Community Park in Elgin. Vendors, food truck and the famous Catfish Stew.

Big Homie Lil Homie 8th Annual Winter Fest, noon-2 p.m., Drew Wellness Center, 2101 Walker Solomon Way. Get ready for a winter wonderland experience like no other with toys and games and resources for all.

A Christmas Carol, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., Harbison Theatre, 7300 College St, Irmo. Join Columbia Children’s Theatre for a Radio City Music Hall version of the Dickens’ classic tale, A Christmas Carol.

City of Columbia Parks & Recreation Holiday Ball, 5 p.m. Leroy Moss Multipurpose Center at Hyatt Park, 950 Jackson Ave. Wear your ugliest holiday sweater for a chance to win prizes, enjoy food, festivities and fun

Pelion Christmas Parade of Lights, 6 p.m. the Main Street parade starts at Pine Street, at the Pelion Library.

Bierkeller Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market), noon-7 p.m. Bierkeller Columbia, 600 Canalside, Suite 1009. The atmosphere of an old-world German Christmas market on the banks of the Congaree River. Santa will be available for photos, 2-5 p.m. each day (bring your own camera)

Eudora Wildlife Safari Park Santa Village, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Check out the wildlife and enjoy holiday activities. Bring your camera for pictures with The Grinch and Santa. Tickets include hot chocolate, popcorn and a marshmallow roast

Art in the Yard: Melrose Heights: Self-Guided Architectural Walking Tour, 1-5 p.m. Take a leisurely stroll through the historic Columbia neighborhood as artists and artisans showcase and sell their works.

Y’all-Mart Yalliday Market, 1-5 p.m. Art Bar, 1211 Park St. For those who want something a little bit different this holiday season, check out the eclectic offerings at this holiday market.

Blythewood Christmas Parade, 2 p.m., along Main Street, between Blythewood and Boney roads.

Lexington Snowball Christmas Parade, 3 p.m., along Main Street, Lexington.

Ridgeway Christmas Parade, 3 p.m., through Historic Downtown Ridgeway.

Governor’s Mansion Christmas Open House, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Governor’s Mansion, 800 Richland St. Meet Governor Henry McMaster and First Lady Peggy McMaster during the holiday open house. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be there, along with musicians Trudy Wilson, Rhoda Paschal and Cayli Boyle. Donations of cat or dog food, litter and toys will be accepted to donate to Pawmetto Lifeline

A changing corridor near downtown Columbia that has experienced growing pains, as new housing, road work and other construction has seemingly taken over could now see some relief.

The area bound by North Main Street, and River and Sunset drives has seen unending construction this year, with road work on both River and Sunset, plus one finished and one upcoming large apartment complex.

But now one road project is finished, and city leaders say it’s part of a much broader effort to reconnect Columbia’s neighborhoods, which as the city has grown have become disjointed by wide streets and a lack of sidewalks and bike lanes.

A 5-foot-wide buffered bike lane now runs down the length of River Drive. It’s the first of its kind in the Midlands. The work is part of a years-long effort to create more avenues for people to get around to city without having to get in a car.

“It stitches the community back together,” said Regan Freeman, the advocacy director for Cola Town Bike Collective, a group that lobbies for better bike and pedestrian infrastructure in the city.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation already had plans to resurface the road, and the city saw an opportunity to ask the department to add a bike lane to the plan.

The work finishes as another road project is underway on Sunset Drive, which has rerouted more traffic to River Drive and side streets around the Earlewood neighborhood.

Earlier this year, the detour caused so much traffic frustration that residents asked the city to intervene. Between September and October, police wrote 20 traffic tickets to motorists on River Drive. Five were for collisions. But the department also reported seeing “little to no speeding” during major commuting hours, noting that the bulk of citations were written outside of heavy traffic hours.

Leaders say the new bike lane should make River Drive safer, both for bicyclists and drivers, because the bike lane also encourages motorists to drive more slowly.

Mayor Daniel Rickenmann has frequently cited his desire to see Columbia’s neighborhoods connected by bike lanes, sidewalks and greenways. He’s been a major advocate of the Three Rivers Greenway, which when finished will connect trails from the Lake Murray Dam all the way to Olympia Park south of the Blossom Street bridge.

He said projects like this River Drive bike lane are one piece of that puzzle.

The work is about more than just connectivity, it’s also about improving safety on the city’s streets. Columbia is ranked 12th in the nation for pedestrian deaths in metro areas, with an average of nearly 3.5 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people between 2018 and 2022, according to a report from the think tank Smart Growth America.

While the bike lane project is now finished, other road projects have locals worried that the area’s traffic problems won’t subside for the next year.

There is currently a $5.2 million project led by Richland County on Sunset Drive to install new sidewalks and repave the road, which is expected to last potentially until the middle of 2025. That work is actively rerouting people to River Drive. Also on Sunset Drive, developers are planning to build a 300-unit market-rate apartment complex.

In 2025, a portion of River Drive could close for nearly a year as the SCDOT prepares to replace a bridge over the CSX railroad. That project would close River Drive and reroute traffic to Sunset Drive and North Main Street, according to information shared by the department with the neighborhood.

“We would obviously like to limit a huge increase in traffic for a year-long detour. That would be very disruptive to our neighborhood,” John Wilkinson, president of the Elmwood Park neighborhood association, previously told The State.

Despite the current traffic frustrations, however, Wilkinson said he thinks the corridor is plenty large enough to welcome the increase in activity and he’s not worried about the problems lasting after the various construction projects are finished.

Freeman said the next step for his organization will be working to get more people excited about more walkable neighborhoods.

To christen the new bike lane, Columbia Councilwoman Tina Herbert will lead a community bike parade Sunday through the neighborhood.

This story was originally published December 5, 2024, 12:17 PM.

The State

(803) 771-8330

Morgan Hughes covers Columbia news for The State. She previously reported on health, education and local governments in Wyoming. She has won awards in Wyoming and Wisconsin for feature writing and investigative journalism. Her work has also been recognized by the South Carolina Press Association.

A person who bought a Powerball ticket at a gas station near Interstate 26 prior to Wednesday’s drawing was one number away from winning the game’s $240 million grand prize, South Carolina Education Lottery officials said Thursday in a news release.

Although the ticket buyer didn’t win the game’s jackpot, the person will be rewarded with a $50,000 payday for coming so close, according to the release.

Now the search is underway for the winner.

The five-figure winning Powerball game was sold at the Murphy Express gas station/convenience store at 2818 Augusta Road in West Columbia, officials said. That’s in an area which is densely packed with retail businesses and restaurants just off Exit 111 on I-26.

The ticket matched four white ball numbers and the red Powerball number in Wednesday’s Double Play drawing, a feat that has odds of 1-in-913,129 of occurring, officials said.

Because the ticket buyer originally purchased the $1 Double Play option with their normal Powerball game, the five-figure prize was won in the second drawing held after the regular Powerball drawing, lottery officials said.

The winning numbers in Wednesday’s Double Play drawing were 14, 35, 43, 48, 54 and Powerball: 1.

The winner has 180 days to claim the prize, according to lottery officials.

The winner will be allowed to retain some privacy, as South Carolina is one of 11 states — along with Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas and Virginia — that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.

“Sign the back of your ticket and put it in a safe location until you’re ready to come forward to claim the prize,” lottery officials said.

For complete information on claiming prizes, go to sceducationlottery.com.

The Murphy Express on Augusta Road is expected to receive a commission for selling the winning ticket.

Just outside of the Midlands area of South Carolina, there was another $50,000 winning ticket from Wednesday’s traditional Powerball drawing. That ticket was sold in Greenwood at the Hot Spot gas station/convenience store on U.S. 25 South, according to the release.

The winning numbers in Wednesday’s regular drawing were 1, 23, 25, 28, 61 and Powerball: 13.

Like the winning ticket in the Double Play drawing, this game matched four of the first five numbers drawn and the Powerball number, officials said.

Because there was no grand prize winner in Wednesday’s traditional drawing, the jackpot for Saturday’s Powerball drawing has risen to $260 million, according to the game’s website.

Anyone looking to buy a ticket must make a purchase by 9:59 p.m. Saturday for the 10:59 p.m. drawing. Tickets are $2, and could cost more with additional options.

The odds of winning Powerball’s grand prize are 1-in-293 million.

In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.