Residents in the Town of Lexington have a chance to give input on two projects the town is undertaking.

The town is accepting input on its Greenways and Trails Master Plan as well as its Transportation and Traffic Safety Action Plan.

The Greenways and Trails Master Plan is underway and intended to “improve and expand greenways and trails within the community,” according to the town’s website.

The most-visited greenway in the area currently is the Three Rivers Greenway which stretches into the City of West Columbia, the City of Cayce and outside the county into the City of Columbia. It’s 15.5 miles long, according to the City of Columbia, and follows the Broad, Saluda and Congaree Rivers with access points throughout.

Bringing a greenway system to the town of Lexington could be beneficial for the environment and economy.

Visit lexsc.gov to fill out the survey and view the interactive map, which will aid town officials in identifying challenging walking or biking areas, potential trail connections and more.

“Greenways are linear open spaces, often along natural corridors like rivers or ridges, that provide pathways for conservation, recreation, walking, biking, and other outdoor activities,” according to the website. “While often emphasized for recreation, greenways and other trails can also serve an important transportation role, creating safe and convenient walking and biking connections throughout the community.”

The public can also visit lexsc.gov to give input on a transportation and traffic safety action plan.

The website defines action goals:

• “Safe Access for All -focus on all roadway users including drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, especially those traveling to and around schools.”
• “A Safe Systems Approach - focus on safe systems that emphasize slower speeds and transportation management through interagency communication.”
• “Communication - collaborate with the public, stakeholders, and peer agencies throughout the Safety Action Plan process.”
• “Data-Driven Direction -continuously monitor and evaluate system performance and look for ways to innovate with new technology.”

According to earlier Chronicle reporting, the town’s goal is to “reduce speeding, reduce collisions, and move the Town towards zero fatalities and serious injuries” by 2035, as stated in a Dec. 2, 2024, resolution.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, according to the resolution, details 1,094 crash-related deaths on South Carolina roadways including 172 pedestrians and 25 cyclists in 2022. The resolution also details 5,676 crashes reported in the Town of Lexington’s jurisdictional area with three crashes resulting in a fatality and 17% of crashes resulting in injury between January 2019 and December 2023.

By filling out the survey on the website, which includes an interactive map, the public can alert town officials of locations with traffic safety risks.