Lexington County receives $28.8M to reduce road fatalities

Lexington County will receive a $28.8 million federal grant award to implement the project “One Lexington, Zero Fatalities,” members of the Lexington County Council learned during the panel’s only November meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

According to council documents, Lexington County and local municipalities submitted a joint application for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program back in May. The county was recently notified it will be awarded a $28,775,204 grant for “One Lexington: One Lexington, Zero Fatalities.”

According to Lexington County government, 400 people have been killed while driving, walking or bicycling on the streets of Lexington County since 2017, which is a higher number than those who died in violent crimes, natural disasters and house fires.

In order to combat this, corridor safety improvements and a public safety infrastructure program are all funded initiatives, and “the project specifically targets four high-injury network corridors, including U.S. 321, U.S. 76, S.C. 21, U.S. 1 and U.S. 378,” according to council documents.

Dominion Energy right-of-way agreement

The council also approved a right-of-way request from Dominion Energy during its November meeting.

According to council documents, the proposed right-of-way and temporary work access agreement with Dominion Energy was negotiated so a new natural gas line can be installed through county-owned property within the Saxe Gotha Industrial Park.

“The agreement would provide Dominion Energy with the necessary access to install the natural gas infrastructure and conduct associated construction activities. This infrastructure improvement will support continued industrial development and utility service within the Saxe Gotha Industrial Park,” council documents state.

The Economic Development Committee had convened on Tuesday, Oct. 27, for discussion of the matter, when it then moved to recommend full council approval, which came during November’s full council meeting.

Councilwoman Beth Carrigg made the motion for approval, which received a second from Councilman Todd Cullum and unanimous approval from the rest of the council.

The Lexington County Council will have its next meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Lexington County Administration Building, 212 S. Lake Drive.