Residents urge more late‑night bus service as SPATS seeks input on 2050 plan

Daniel Griggs, a transportation planner for the Spartanburg Planning Area Transportation Study (SPATS), briefed council on the SPATS 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan during the May 26 City Council meeting and urged residents to submit input before the public comment period closes May 29.

Griggs said the 2050 LRTP is a 25‑year visionary document that identifies needs and priorities for roads, transit, freight, bicycle and pedestrian networks across the county. He described the document as the planning backbone that helps allocate federal funds through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and said the plan incorporates weighted criteria and public feedback.

During public comment and council discussion, residents and council members focused on transit frequency and connectivity. A resident who identified herself as Vanessa suggested partnering with colleges to provide unlimited bus passes and extending service hours so students can travel downtown safely after evening events. Livingston "Liv" Hawkins praised the East Main road diet and said a safer bike route will better connect Converse University students to downtown.

Council members and staff discussed how SPATS interfaces with city transit operations and funding. Griggs and city staff explained that SPATS influences the ranking of projects that feed federal funding and that transit entities separate from county planning can use federal funds allocated through the TIP. Council also raised safety concerns on the Pine Street corridor—particularly tanker‑truck movements near Pine Street School—and noted prior difficulties coordinating with the South Carolina Department of Transportation on corridor alternatives; staff said previously identified issues will be carried forward into the 2050 plan for reevaluation.

Griggs said SPATS held in‑person meetings in early May and provides an online survey and comment forms in English and Spanish on the SPATS website; he asked for help from city communications and media to push outreach in the LRTP’s final week. The city will continue to coordinate with SPATS as the plan is finalized and prioritized for federal funding.