Devine Street improvements are on the horizon

Devine Street is on the brink of long-overdue improvements after years of delays and frustrations.

The road improvement project has been revived thanks to $3.5 million in state funding secured by state Rep. Seth Rose, D-Columbia, who lives nearby.

The upgrades will address outdated infrastructure, traffic and pedestrian safety concerns and limited parking on the four-lane stretch of retail. 

An additional $1.5 million is still needed to fully fund the $5 million project before project details become final.

What’s been discussed is traffic calming, eliminating some of the street’s diagonal parking and adding it elsewhere and possibly addressing the street’s narrow lanes.

Separate work is taking place now to add sidewalk curb cuts and neon pedestrian crossing signs. And two years ago, a new traffic light went in at Devine and Meadow streets.     

The Devine Street Association has fought for years to get improvements, said Susan Steiner, the group’s president. 

“I started with the Divine Street Association 15 or 16 years ago, and this issue has been on our agenda the entire time,” Steiner said. “I’ve served on the board for about 10 years, and we’ve had countless meetings with the city, state, and DOT. The issues have never been addressed until now. It’s beyond overdue.”

Local business owners are eager for the improvements but concerned about the impact of parking and foot traffic during construction, which is vital for their success. 

“Parking is crucial, but yeah, you have limited space,” said Paul Goff, owner of Salty’s Skate Shop. “People tend to avoid the inconvenience. If this section is blocked off, they’re not going to go looking for a parking place. They’ll probably hop online or go to the next store.”

Jennifer Suber, marketing coordinator for the Devine Street Association, said the upgrades will improve the street’s walkability and drivability.

“I’m excited that finally there’s meetings and there’s public input and then,” said Suber, “now the process has begun, because up until this point, there’s just been a lot of talk. And now it’s actually happening.”

The community is hopeful the changes will bring long-term benefits to the area, even though there is no set timeline for the project. 

“We all know that we have to wait our turn for things,” Suber said. “… We feel like we’ve waited a long time. But we are excited that it’s moving.”