TRANSPORTATION
The primary mission of the Transportation Department is planning, and projecting future transportation needs for the Anderson urban area and to promote the safe and efficient use of existing roadways. Also, with technology through computer networking and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the department maintains and updates current geographic data, provides mapping assistance, and designs, implements and maintains computer and networking needs for all city departments.
Roads, Trails, and Busses
ROADS
Roads are the primary source of mobility in any transportation network. Roads provide capacity, route options, and increased flow to users of any system. Sometimes road networks need to be improved. In the Anderson area we look to our local Metropolitan Planning Organization to plan and fund these improvements.
Anderson Area Transportation Study
The Anderson Area Transportation Study (ANATS) is a Federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). MPO’s come about when the Census Bureau designates a list of Urbanized Areas (UZAs). Federal law requires every UZA (over 50,000 in population) to be represented by a MPO to carry out transportation planning and allocate federal funds. MPOs develop Study Areas from the census defined UZAs. These study areas represent the area surrounding the UZA projected to be urban in 20 years. All MPO federal funds are spent within the Study Area.
All MPO funding comes directly from the federal transportation bill (currently FAST Act) and is funneled through the SCDOT. Guide share funds are distributed to MPOs to complete projects which improve the transportation system within the designated study area. The funding is allocated through the SCDOT based on a formula and distributed on an annual basis.
Currently, ANATS has 9 active projects with over $12 million allocated for their completion. In addition, there are plans in place to improve our transportation network by spending roughly $50 million over the next 20 years. These guide share funds are earmarked for 26 additional intersection improvements.
TRAILS
Trails are an important piece of the Transportation Network giving connectivity options for all users. 2014’s Bike-Pedestrian Connectivity Plan and 2017’s Recreation Master Plan give us a framework of identified connectivity facilities.
Building trails can be a funding challenge. To date, we have utilized Federal Transportation Funds, Hospitality funds, stormwater funds, and redevelopment funds to move projects forward. We completed the East-West Parkway (3.1 miles), Linley Park (.25 miles), and Roberts Street and Boulevard (.4 miles). Currently, the East-West Parkway Extension 1- AnMed Health Campus, East-West Parkway Extension 2- Civic Center, and the Whitner Creek Greenway are funded and moving toward construction.
Lindley Park
BUSSES
Buss systems fit into the larger category of Public Transit. Public Transit Transit consists of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers (i.e. busses, vans or cutaway vehicles). One goal of transit is to decrease volume on existing roadways while efficiently moving the maximum amount of users. Here in Anderson out Transit System is called the Electric City Transit.
Electric City Transit
Currently Electric City Transit (ECT) runs 6-weekday routes with a normal operating schedule of Monday-Friday from 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
• ECT has 8 total busses including an expanding number of natural gas-powered vehicles.
• In 2018 ECT provided 346,000 rides
• Every bus is permitted to leave the regular route (up to 3/4 of a mile) to pick up or drop off riders who live outside the regular routes.