Longtime residents of the Broad River Road corridor know the area is a “neighborly place” ― and now visitors, motorists and passersby will too.
At an outdoor news conference Tuesday morning, Richland County unveiled the first of many street side banners displaying the colorful new Broad River Road logo that includes the slogan “Broad River Road: It’s a Neighborly Place.” Several residents and community leaders accompanied Richland County officials in celebrating the installation of the first banner, which hangs from a light pole near the intersection of Broad River and Beatty roads.
Following today’s unveiling, 20 additional banners will be erected along a 4.5-mile stretch of Broad River Road between Greystone Boulevard and Geology Road. The logo will also be used to market the busy corridor and for upcoming gateway signage leading into the area.
“I am just so happy that the day has come to show the public this wonderful new banner,” said Richland County Council Chair Joyce Dickerson, who has lived in the St. Andrews neighborhood of the Broad River Road corridor since 1976. “When people travel up and down Broad River Road, we want to reflect to them that this is a community that cares.”
The logo, which was first made public in September 2016, was developed after the County’s Neighborhood Improvement Program solicited input from area residents. The settled upon logo focuses on the recognizable Broad River Bridge and the Broad River itself and references the friendly and welcoming spirit of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Broad River Road corridor is one of Columbia’s first and oldest suburbs, and it is home to several schools, Riverside Golf and Recreation Center, St. Andrews Park and the Dutch Square shopping center. The new logo and street banners are part of the Broad River Road Corridor and Community Master Plan adopted by County Council in 2010 as a way to revitalize the area while maintaining its character.
“We’ve seen tremendous progress along the Broad River Road corridor and we’re going to continue to see that progress until this corridor becomes the community you want it to be,” said Richland County Councilman Paul Livingston, whose District 4 includes portions of the Broad River Road corridor.
For more information about the County’s Neighborhood Improvement Program or master plans, visit rcgov.us and look for the Planning & Development page.