City of Aiken, SC Celebrates Opening of Tribute Parkway

AIKEN, SC – On September 28, the City of Aiken came together to celebrate the opening of the first phase of Tribute Parkway (formerly referred to as the Powderhouse Road Connector), a major infrastructure project set to ease congestion along the busy Whiskey Road corridor. The ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the opening and honored the men and women of Aiken Public Safety that the roadway is named after.

“It was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate the first phase of this project,” shared Benesch Project Manager Oliver Weston. “We were honored to join the City’s celebration and look forward to continuing our work to help them provide safer, more accessible travel for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”

Benesch has been involved in the project from its early stages, providing design services for Phase One and working closely with property owners to secure major rights-of-way donations. The project was designed and phased to meet budgetary constraints, with Phase One funded through local contributions and a grant from the South Carolina State Infrastructure Bank. Phase One of the project extended from the intersection of Whiskey Road and Oak Grove Road eastward to a new roundabout, then north to the intersection of Corporate Parkway and South Centennial Avenue—offering a much-needed bypass for Whiskey Road.

Phase Two will extend the corridor east and northeast to complete the connection between Whiskey Road and Powderhouse Road. The project is part of the Whiskey Road Corridor Congestion Relief program developed by the City to address congestion issues, improve operational safety, provide bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, improve the area’s connectivity and leverage economic development opportunities along the corridor.