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Federal Funding to Support Progress through Capital Investment Grants
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (October 8, 2019) – The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation recently to initiate project development for South Carolina’s first mass transit project.
A BCDCOG initiative, the Lowcountry Rapid Transit project development will receive key funding through the DOT’s Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, which will provide much needed dollars for the estimated $387.5M total project cost.
“Receiving
preauthorization to enter the project development phase is another huge
step forward in making LCRT a reality in our region,” said Ron Mitchum,
the BCDCOG’s executive director. “This step opens critical funding
streams and puts us in position to continue generating forward momentum
and progress on the project.”
LCRT 101
Lowcountry
Rapid Transit is a proposed 26-mile bus rapid transit system connecting
the communities of Charleston, North Charleston, and Summerville along
the US 78/US 52 (Rivers Avenue) corridor. LCRT is projected to improve
transit and enhance regional mobility in one of the most important and
most congested corridors in the state.
The project includes upgrades to the existing maintenance and storage facilities, adding bus rapid transit stations and articulated electric vehicles.
“LCRT
is a network of possibilities that will provide residents with
dependable, frequent transportation and greater access to opportunities
throughout the region,” said Sharon Hollis, the BCDCOG’s principal
planner and LCRT project lead. “Connections between communities and
employment centers would be enhanced and would also accommodate other
modes such as biking and walking.”
Next Steps
Operating
under the federal government’s Fixing America’s Surface Transportation
Act of 2015, the BCDCOG will be required to select a locally preferred
alternative, which it plans to have done by August 2020, and have the
alternative adopted into the long-range transportation plan by January
2021.
As part of the National Environmental Policy Act framework, the required environmental review process began earlier this year. The NEPA process allows the project team to learn as much as possible about the local area and communities in order to reach a decision that best meets the needs of the community and minimizes or avoids impacts to the environment and communities.
At its completion, LCRT is expected to begin revenue service in late 2025.
“Being able to adjust to the rapid growth in our region is important when we consider mobility as a key factor in the expansion,” said Mitchum. “BCDCOG is very excited for this advancement in the LCRT process and is ready to improve not just transit for our residents and visitors in the Tricounty area, but their quality of life as well.”
ABOUT BCDCOG
The BCDCOG is a voluntary association of, by and for local governments, and was established to assist Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester county leaders in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. BCDCOG’s purpose is to strengthen the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. For the latest on BCDCOG, visitwww.bcdcog.com, like us onFacebook or follow on Twitter at @BCDCoG.
