Connecting the Strip: SCDOT Solicits Public Feedback on Proposed Swamp Rabbit Trail Expansion in Simpsonville

Regional efforts to stitch the Golden Strip into Greenville County’s expanding greenway network took another step forward this week, as state transportation planners opened the floor to community feedback on a pivotal trail segment in Simpsonville.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is formally requesting public comment on a proposed shared-use path designed along S-162 (Bryson Drive) and L-2838 (Bryson Heights Drive). If approved and funded through construction, the paved, dedicated pathway will officially fold into the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail footprint, bridging a long-desired gap between residential subdivisions, public recreation spaces, and surrounding commercial corridors.

Expanding Safe, Non-Motorized Connectivity

As Simpsonville’s population continues its steady climb, municipal and regional leaders have placed increased emphasis on pedestrian safety and multi-modal transit. The Bryson Drive corridor has seen mounting bicycle and foot traffic in recent years, yet much of the roadway lacks dedicated off-street infrastructure.

Under the state’s current proposal, the shared-use path would provide a wide, separated corridor engineered to safely accommodate cyclists, runners, parents with strollers, and daily commuters away from vehicular lanes. Beyond recreation, the link is designed to offer neighborhood-level connectivity, granting nearby families a motor-free route to local parks, retail nodes, and schools without navigating narrow shoulders or high-speed traffic.

Crucial Engineering and Neighborhood Considerations

The ongoing public comment window represents the primary opportunity for local property owners and daily trail users to weigh in before preliminary concepts transition into final engineering blueprints. State planners are specifically evaluating several technical and localized components, including:

• Driveway Transitions and Curb Cuts: Ensuring safe sightlines and smooth grades where private neighborhood driveways intersect with the multi-use trail.

• Intersection and Crossing Safety: Determining where high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, or signage will be positioned along connecting secondary roads.

• Right-of-Way and Buffers: Reviewing property boundaries to minimize encroachment on private front lawns while maintaining an adequate physical buffer from the roadway.

• Drainage and Grading: Integrating bioswales, culverts, and stormwater infrastructure to avoid runoff issues on adjoining parcels.

Feedback gathered throughout October will directly influence whether designs require adjustments before right-of-way acquisitions or construction schedules are established.

How Residents and Commuters Can Participate

The public comment period is open through Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. Residents, property owners, and active-transit advocates are urged to review the proposed engineering maps and submit questions or formal statements via the following channels:

• Project Portal: Access detailed alignment maps, cross-sections, and the online comment form at projectportal.scdot.gov/BrysonDrSUP.

• Direct Email: Send statements directly to SCDOT project manager Austin Booth at [email protected].

• Postal Mail: Direct written correspondence to:

  Austin Booth, Project Manager

  South Carolina Department of Transportation

  955 Park Street

  Columbia, SC 29201

Comments postmarked or transmitted before the end of October will be cataloged and addressed in the state’s official project assessment record.