Road Safety Audits
Asked by SCDOT, PCC participates in Road Safety Audits (RSA) across South Carolina. We received RSA training from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2014, and we've served as a key stakeholder representing vulnerable road users on these multi-disciplinary teams charged with reducing injuries and fatalities on SC's most dangerous road corridors. Teams include state highway engineers, a consultant, local planners/engineers, elected officials, and road user stakeholders.
Since 2019, SCDOT has been developing their Non-Motorized Safety Program within their Highway Safety office. SCDOT conducts Road Safety Audits on roads and streets throughout SC that represent "hotspots" for serious injuries and fatalities for non-motorized road users. PCC participated in the following RSAs: 5 points Harden and Blossom Streets in Columbia, Assembly Street in Columbia, Wade Hampton in Greenville, White Horse Road in Greenville, Ashley Phosphate Road N. Charleston, Red Bank Road north of N. Charleston, Hwy 378 in West Columbia, Ron McNair Blvd in Lake City, and more soon in Florence.
This program initially used 10% of South Carolina’s Highway Safety funding they receive from the federal government each year. South Carolina was one of the first states in the country to dedicate a portion of their highway safety funds for a dedicated Non-Motorized safety program. SCDOT now allocates over 15%, because the federal government now requires it. This now amounts to $13Million annually, and each year SCDOT uses that to develop more RSA's and implement their 2022 Pedestrian and Bike Safety Action Plan. PCC continues to participate in this SCDOT program when capacity exists, but we are currently reliant on member/donor dollars to do so.