Congresswoman Nancy Mace announced on Mar. 9 that the City of Charleston has received a $140,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program to improve pedestrian safety in downtown Charleston.
The funding aims to address the challenges posed by Charleston’s rapid population growth and the need for safer street infrastructure. The city plans to use the grant to install and evaluate temporary curb extensions at six intersections, a new approach intended to enhance pedestrian safety and calm traffic in busy areas.
Mace said, “Charleston is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and our infrastructure must keep pace. This grant is a commonsense investment which will make our streets safer for pedestrians, help calm traffic in busy areas, and give the City the real data it needs to plan smarter for the future. Supporting smart, effective infrastructure which keeps our communities safe and thriving will always be a top priority.”
Katie Zimmerman, Executive Director of Charleston Moves, also voiced support for the initiative: “We appreciate the attention to safety and accessibility for people who live in, work in, and visit the Charleston peninsula, and trust that through prioritizing vulnerable road users in quick-build, data-oriented projects, our decision-makers can reknit communities, improve functionality, and provide space for people to safely meet their needs by any mode they choose.”
The project will collect data on vehicle speeds, traffic volumes, driver yielding behavior, pedestrian activity, and public perception. The results are expected to inform Charleston’s draft Safety Action Plan as well as guide future affordable street design improvements.
Nancy Mace is currently serving in Congress representing South Carolina’s 1st district after replacing Joe Cunningham in 2021 according to her biography. She previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2018 to 2020 as reported by Ballotpedia. Mace was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 1977 and now lives in Charleston according to her official biography. She graduated from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1999 as noted by The Citadel.
South Carolina was ranked as the fastest-growing state between 2024 and 2025 with nearly 80,000 new residents added during that period according to recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
