COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Congressman Jim Clyburn has announced that $204 million in funding will be allocated to fix the railroad system in Columbia, South Carolina. The funds, provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rail Crossing Elimination Grant Program, are part of a long-awaited initiative to separate vehicle and train traffic in one of the state’s most congested areas.
This transformative project, which officials say has been “120 years in the making,” aims to address the ongoing traffic issues at Columbia’s railroad crossings. For years, residents and commuters have faced delays and traffic congestion due to trains intersecting busy vehicle routes, particularly in the Assembly Street area, where multiple railroads converge. This area, known as one of the state’s highest-profile traffic areas with trains regularly blocking key roads.
The new investment is set to change the way transportation operates in Columbia for years to come, officials say, potentially eliminating traffic delays caused by train crossings. The project is designed to create a safer and more efficient system by separating train and vehicular traffic…