Parking at SCDOT Headquarters
When visiting the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Headquarters at 955 Park Street, parking is conveniently located in the Innovista Parking Garage. This garage is situated at the corner of Park and College Street, providing easy access to the SCDOT building.
To utilize visitor parking, please enter and exit the Innovista Parking Garage via the Park Street entrance. Upon entry, you will receive a parking ticket. It’s important to retain this ticket as you will need to return it to the parking attendant upon exiting the garage.
Please be aware that parking is designated on Level 5 and above for visitors. It is crucial to avoid parking in any space marked as reserved, including those signed for DOT employees. These reserved spaces are specifically allocated to employees who pay for parking within the garage and are assigned to the SCDOT Headquarters Building. Adhering to parking on Level 5 and above ensures you are in the designated visitor parking area.
Should you have any questions or require assistance regarding visitor parking procedures at the South Carolina Department of Transportation, please do not hesitate to contact the parking coordinator. You can reach them at either (803) 737-1771 or (803) 530-5258 for immediate assistance.
Security Procedures for Visitors
Ensuring a safe and secure environment is a priority at the South Carolina Department of Transportation Headquarters. Therefore, all individuals conducting business at 955 Park Street, including visitors, are required to wear a security identification badge at all times. A visitor is defined as anyone who has not been issued a permanent security identification badge by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
There are specific exceptions to the visitor badge issuance policy designed to streamline access for frequent partners. Badges issued by the Columbia Division of the Federal Highway Administration are recognized, granting their employees unescorted access to the building. Similarly, visitors holding security badges issued by the South Carolina House of Representatives or the South Carolina State Senate are also permitted unescorted access.
In the event of a publicly announced meeting at the SCDOT Headquarters, the escort requirement is waived. However, even during public meetings, all individuals must still obtain a visitor’s badge and sign in at the designated visitor control point upon arrival.
During normal business hours, all visitors to the headquarters building must enter through the main entrance located on Park Street. Upon entering, visitors will be required to sign in at the visitor control point. Following sign-in, building security staff will contact the specific SCDOT office being visited. A representative from that office, wearing an official SCDOT badge, will then be dispatched to the visitor control point to escort the visitor to their intended office. It is important to note that visitors are only authorized to visit the specific office indicated on their sign-in sheet.
After concluding their business, visitors must be accompanied by an SCDOT headquarters employee back to either the main or ground entrance, depending on accessibility. At this point, visitors are required to sign out and return their visitor badge. Please be aware that the main entrance to the SCDOT Headquarters closes at 6 PM daily.
For media personnel, it is policy that all media visits, with the exception of announced public meetings, will be escorted at all times while inside the South Carolina Department of Transportation Headquarters building.
