The Calks Ferry Road Intergovernmental Agreement, an economic development project and other items were on the agenda for Lexington County Council's July 14 meeting.

Council approved initial steps in a project at Calks Ferry Road and Interstate 20, referred to by council as the Calks Ferry Road Intergovernmental Agreement.

In June 2025, the county’s public works/solid waste management committee met with the county's public works department to hear a request for the interchange project and seek approval for the intergovernmental agreement.

According to documents, Lexington County received a $1 million legislative earmark to fund an interchange justification report for Calks Ferry Road and Interstate 20. The council approved a budget amendment for the project in November 2025. The documents also state that the project was awarded to Mead & Hunt, a construction services firm.

The purpose of the project is to evaluate the feasibility of designing and constructing a new interchange on Interstate 20 at the existing Calks Ferry Road overpass.

"Getting this approval is a baby step in the right direction," Councilman Clifford Fisher said during the July 14 meeting. "This project won't be complete for another three to five years."

Fisher said the interchange would help ease traffic congestion in Lexington, especially near Exit 51 and Longs Pond Road.

"Traffic heading towards Gilbert, Batesburg and Saluda will no longer have to travel through Lexington once this interchange is complete," Fisher said.

There is no construction start date yet, as the project remains in the early planning stages.

The council unanimously approved the intergovernmental agreement.

In other news

Council also discussed a potential economic development project that could bring 136 new jobs to Lexington County.

Currently referred to as Project Ribbon, council documents state that an unnamed company plans to expand its manufacturing facility through an $80 million investment that would create 136 jobs.

Documents further state that the project would be included in an existing multi-county industrial and business park agreement with Calhoun County, pending future approval by county council.