York to complete downtown lighting

The city of York will complete the fourth and final leg of a downtown lighting project started about eight years ago with a federal grant of $182,196.

The city received the grant through the Transportation Alternative Program, a federally-funded program administered by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

The program recently announced five grants to South Carolina communities, including York. The grants give “local governments an opportunity to pursue non-traditional transportation related activities such as pedestrian facilities, bicycle facilities and street scaping,” according to a DOT release.

York City Manager Charles Helms said the city will use the money to install downtown pedestrian lighting on East Liberty Street, from Congress to Gardner streets.

He told City Council members that the work would begin as soon as possible.

Helms said the lighting will be the fourth and final leg of a downtown lighting project the city began about eight years ago. He said downtown lighting has already been installed north, south and west from the city center at Liberty and Congress.

“It ties the whole downtown together,” Helms said. “If you come from anywhere in to York, you will see that the town is lit, and this is completing the project.”

Helms said the lighting extends from the city center about two blocks. “After I complete this, I will look at some more grants to go further out,” he said.

The existing lighting project is centered on Congress Street at the York County Courthouse. Lights extend west on Liberty Street to Harbor Street, and north and south on Congress from Jefferson to Madison streets.

The four other South Carolina communities chosen to receive the grants are: Holly Hill, Ridgeland, Jenkinsville and Swansea, in amounts of up to $400,000.

This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 9:46 AM with the headline "York to complete downtown lighting."