You may not give much thought to traffic lights.

But those in Lexington actually make life easier.

The Town of Lexington received a Municipal Achievement Award for its adaptive signalization system.

The town’s Adaptive Signalization System works toward improving traffic flow and decreasing travel time.

Cameras mounted to street lights monitor traffic and allow the system to make realtime adjustments to the traffic signals.

The system has successfully cut travel time nearly in half for portions of Highway 378.

Funding for the $6.6-million project came from the Central Midlands Council of Governments’ Columbia Area Transportation Study Guideshare Program, as well as Lexington County and Lexington Medical Center.

Coming soon

It’s a Wrap Cafe is coming to Lexington’s Topspin Plaza this fall.

The cafe will open at 5341 Sunset Blvd., Suite C.

Co-owner Felicia Bennett moved her businesses from Atlanta after the covid-19 pandemic forced them to close, Cola Daily News reported.

The cafe is scheduled to open in October. Additional information and updates will be available on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Tacos to go

Chipotle’s 1st Lexington location is now open.

Chipotle Mexican Grill opened in the former Miyo’s location at 5594 Sunset Blvd.

Chipotle is open from 10:45 am to 10 pm, with available outdoor seating.

To-go food can be delivered through Postmates, DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Gov. Henry McMaster has ordered all patrons wear a mask when entering a restaurant.

Clemson waives testing requirement

Clemson University has joined other universities in waiving standardized test scores as a requirement for applicants.

Clemson says the pandemic has caused tremendous disruptions to the college search and application process, including the availability of standardized testing facilities.

The university will temporarily waive testing for applicants for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Clemson applicants unable to submit standardized test results will not be disadvantaged through the application process, and the lack of test scores will not affect eligibility for financial aid, the university said in a statement.

The Honors College is also prepared to review applicants without standardized test scores, including for the National Scholars program.

New District 1 staffers

Rodney D. Craps has been promoted to Lexington School District 1 operations coordinator.

Craps comes to Central Services from Gilbert High School where he served as assistant principal.

An educator with 19 years of experience, Craps began his career as a math teacher at Brookland-Cayce High School in District 2 in 2001.

He joined Lexington District 1 in 2004 as a math teacher at the alternative learning center.

Matthew E. Warren was recently promoted to operations director for District 1.

Warren was previously serving as the district’s operations program manager for 5 years.

In his new role as operations director, Warren oversees the maintenance and facilities department as well as continuing his work with contractors, design firms and growth plans.

New in town

D’Alberto & Graham Attorneys & Advisors opened its new office building Monday, Aug. 3, at 508 Meeting St. in West Columbia.

The firm focuses on business law and commercial transactions.

The 2-story, 5,400-square-foot Class A office building is an infill project located next to First Community Bank on Meeting Street.

Wayne Rogers, Catalyst Architects, designed the building, and Boyer Commercial Construction of Columbia was the builder.

St. Anns nears completion

Some of the homes in St. Anns Alley are getting close to being completed.

Several have already been sold, reports the Chronicle’s Terry Ward.

St. Anns Alley is a community of 34 single-family homes in the burgeoning West Columbia River District.

The new homes are being built in the area of Center, Spring, Herman and Augusta streets and takes its name from the St. Ann’s Rescue Mission, a home for boys, that was located in the same spot in the late 1800s.

The project is being built in an existing historic neighborhood.

Help for senior dogs

Pawmetto Lifeline has received a $7,500 annual grant from The Grey Muzzle Organization to provide care for at-risk senior dogs in South Carolina.

Pawmetto Lifeline is one of 64 welfare groups in 30 states which were chosen from more than 288 applicants to receive a grant to help senior dogs.

Riverbanks’s new chair, director

Robert “Bob” Davidson is the new Riverbanks Park Commission chair for the 2020- 2022 term. Davidson most recently served as vice

Davidson most recently served as vicechair during the 2018-2020 term.

Over the next 2 years, Davidson will be responsible for guiding his fellow commissioners in business decisions related to the Zoo and Garden.

Susan S. Keenan began serving as president of Riverbanks Society’s Board of Directors earlier this year.

Riverbanks Society is the private nonprofit organization that supports the needs of the Zoo and Garden through membership and fundraising.

Keenan is the Director of Institutional Advancement at Hammond School.