Richmond Region Transportation

[Brent]

BRT is a really attractive alternative. It looks and operates pretty much like light rail and the upgrades made for the BRT will make it easy and cheap to upgrade to rail.

Visually it looks just as "big city" as light rail but it isn't as ugly (no overhead wires mucking up the landscape).

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

BRT is a really attractive alternative. It looks and operates pretty much like light rail and the upgrades made for the BRT will make it easy and cheap to upgrade to rail.

Visually it looks just as "big city" as light rail but it isn't as ugly (no overhead wires mucking up the landscape).

 

Aesthetically LRT might not be the greatest looking (as you mentioned, overhead wires), but you have to admit, it probably is faster. Norfolk did a tremendous job with the Tide, they designed it with future expansion in mind.

 

I still am happy either way. It's about time Richmond pull it's act together and start acting like a big metropolis. Hell, this might even be a shot towards...... regional cooperation.

[RVA2CLT]

Richmond does not have the tax base nor county support to implement a LRT for at least a couple more decades.
The counties are far too suburban in mindset and set in their 'automobile' oriented ways of development and vision to even care to entertain the idea of LRT.
Additionally, an LRT or BRT up the middle of broad-street does little for the citizens and students who live, work, study and play in the city on a daily basis.

Richmond needs what worked initially, inter-city circulatory streetcar (tram).

I believe a starter project would be feasible in the Fan from VCU Monroe campus to Carytown through the museum district (where ridership density would be at it's max)

An expansion a few years later could then connect Downtown and then the bottom (once the area is prime and ready and Main St Station has more Intercity rail traffic than Staples Mill).

This could be funded through a variety of sources without having to rely on the city to put up the majority of the $ though private/public partnerships, endowments from VCU and UofR as well a combination of TIGER and  Small Starts grants and some RVA creative ingenuity of creating Crowd-funding and Kick-starter projects by  Pro RVA-Tram groups.

Additionally, infrastructure cost could be cut by minimizing the use of over-head catenary wire systems by investing in a next-gen Trams with Battery technology such as the AmeriTRAM which charges it's batteries while in contact w/ catenary power.  This could allow catenery to be installed in segments such as at Tram-Stops, stop-lights and other 'short-runs' where it is cost-effective and easier to install.

Why catch up to the status-quo when we could be a leader in innovative urban rail transportation as we once did.
 

 

[Icetera]

Final Public Meetings May 20 & 21.

 

http://study.ridegrtc.com/

[eandslee]

Final Public Meetings May 20 & 21.

 

http://study.ridegrtc.com/

 

Great info and great link!  Here's a quick link to the BRT plan:

 

http://study.ridegrtc.com/get-involved/BRT%20Map%20and%20Key%20-%20April%202014.pdf

 

My first impression is that the whole thing should include dedicated lanes (either median or curb side), but the mixed traffic sections are more of the same thing that GRTC has now in a regular bus.  To me, it needs to be all or nothing.  The BRT service will slow down dramatically in the mixed traffic sections.  Just my initial thoughts.

Edited May 9, 2014 by eandslee

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Got this link from a Washington DC urban planning website, Greater Greater Washington:

 

The US Census has named the top 15 cities in the country with the highest percentage of commuting by bicycle.

 

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/cb14-86.html

 

Guess who's number 13. Take a wild guess.

[jbjust]

Tied for 12th, actually. 

 

I would love to see a dedicated bike lane running all the way from Carytown, across the Huguenot Bridge, meeting up with the semi-dedicated bike lane on Robious.  I would branch that off and bring in another dedicated bike lane intersecting at Huguenot and Forest Hill and bring that lane all the way into the city via Semmes Avenue.  Those could really be bicycle "super-highways", collecting commuters from a number of close-in communities with <10 mile commutes. 

[eandslee]

After visiting Richmond this past weekend and driving up and down I-95, I came to a realization that Richmond really needs to improve the look of the I-95 corridor from Petersburg up through Richmond, all the way to Ashland.  No one would know it driving on I-95 through Richmond, that this city is really a great place, a city on the verge of a huge boom!  I-95 looks trashed, smells bad, and there is nothing but old industry on both sides of the freeway!  It really is not inviting (actually somewhat repulsive) and that is a shame because Richmond has such a better story to tell passers by of our fair city...but therein lies the problem...many people just pass by the city (because they think it's gross and I can see why).  We don't want people to just drive through - we want to invite them to stay and find out what Richmond is all about.  One of the major ways to do that is to clean up and beautify I-95.  It just simply has to be done.  Those awful green headlight shades in the median of I-95 are just hideous!  Most have fallen off, are broken...but ugly nevertheless.  It even appears that a large section of these have been replaced with...wait for it...new ugly green headlight shades!  There has to be a better way.  Additionally, perhaps we need to shield the view of some of the ugly industry along the corridor as well (maybe through the use of decorative sound barrier walls that have designs in them that "show off" Richmond?).  Perhaps landscaping the median and/or the side of the roadway to make the area look more inviting.  Definitely an overall general clean up of trash as well as ridding the area of tall weeds that seem to grow, unbeliveably, out of a sea of pavement is in order.  Finally, some sort of decorative, inviting signage (that is landscaped and lit at night) that screams, "Welcome to RVA" or something of the sort (something that shows off the pride we have in our city).  These are just a few of my suggestions.  What might you change along the I-95 corridor and more importantly, how do we get the community and civic leaders involved in recognizing the problem and then cleaning up the area as well as beautiying the landscape along side of I-95 to make it more inviting?  Suggestions?

[Icetera]

After visiting Richmond this past weekend and driving up and down I-95, I came to a realization that Richmond really needs to improve the look of the I-95 corridor from Petersburg up through Richmond, all the way to Ashland.  No one would know it driving on I-95 through Richmond, that this city is really a great place, a city on the verge of a huge boom!  I-95 looks trashed, smells bad, and there is nothing but old industry on both sides of the freeway!  It really is not inviting (actually somewhat repulsive) and that is a shame because Richmond has such a better story to tell passers by of our fair city...but therein lies the problem...many people just pass by the city (because they think it's gross and I can see why).  We don't want people to just drive through - we want to invite them to stay and find out what Richmond is all about.  One of the major ways to do that is to clean up and beautify I-95.  It just simply has to be done.  Those awful green headlight shades in the median of I-95 are just hideous!  Most have fallen off, are broken...but ugly nevertheless.  It even appears that a large section of these have been replaced with...wait for it...new ugly green headlight shades!  There has to be a better way.  Additionally, perhaps we need to shield the view of some of the ugly industry along the corridor as well (maybe through the use of decorative sound barrier walls that have designs in them that "show off" Richmond?).  Perhaps landscaping the median and/or the side of the roadway to make the area look more inviting.  Definitely an overall general clean up of trash as well as ridding the area of tall weeds that seem to grow, unbeliveably, out of a sea of pavement is in order.  Finally, some sort of decorative, inviting signage (that is landscaped and lit at night) that screams, "Welcome to RVA" or something of the sort (something that shows off the pride we have in our city).  These are just a few of my suggestions.  What might you change along the I-95 corridor and more importantly, how do we get the community and civic leaders involved in recognizing the problem and then cleaning up the area as well as beautiying the landscape along side of I-95 to make it more inviting?  Suggestions?

 

I agree that the highway infrastructure/landscaping needs some beautification but I personally love seeing the industry (especially the Bridge company).  Coming up N I-95 I am always reminded of coming into other larger northeastern industrial cities like Philly, Baltimore, etc with the large industrial facilities prior to downtown.

[Brent]

There was a really big landscaping initative this spring around the 64/95 merge (and east along 64). It looked fantastic for a few weeks. Now it needs water, badly, and some mowing. I suspect that once 95 is completed between downtown and the west 64 split that the sides will be landscaped (not that there is much land on either side which with to work).

I don't mind the industry or the green barriers (the new ones are a big improvement) but something bright and shiny and new would be a welcome relief. The area downtown where the toll booths were is the worst. That area could benefit from tall walls (shielding the scrap yard).

[Culpeper Hokie]

Looks like some money in the pot for rapid transit in the West Broad St to downtown corridor (ie: "connecting the Willow Lawn area in Henrico County to Rocketts Landing in the East End of Richmond, including Main Street Station")

 

http://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=4db8ad2c-e633-46ec-a56f-2f713ea08387

Edited September 9, 2014 by Culpeper Hokie

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Looks like some money in the pot for rapid transit in the West Broad St to downtown corridor (ie: "connecting the Willow Lawn area in Henrico County to Rocketts Landing in the East End of Richmond, including Main Street Station")

 

http://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=4db8ad2c-e633-46ec-a56f-2f713ea08387

 

Yep. It will cover around half the cost apparently.

 

http://rvanews.com/news/federal-grant-gives-25-million-for-rva-bus-rapid-transit/116705

 

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/richmond-henrico-win-key-m-grant-for-bus-rapid-transit/article_417980f2-383b-11e4-9e45-0017a43b2370.html

[eandslee]

This is great news, I just wish that they wouldn't wait so long to start construction. 2016, really? Why so long to start?

[wrldcoupe4]

I assume there is a ton of design and engineering that goes into the route. Need to figure all that out before starting work.

[eandslee]

I assume there is a ton of design and engineering that goes into the route. Need to figure all that out before starting work.

For as long as this project has been in the works, you'd think they'd already have his stuff figured out by now. Just saying.

[wrldcoupe4]

Here's a good overview of the project.

http://www.ridegrtc.com/media/main/brt/May2014%20Public%20Meetings%20Presentation%20FINAL051914.pdf

[Icetera]

Details from yesterday's BRT meeting.

 

http://www.styleweekly.com/ScrumBlog/archives/2015/01/26/fast-lane

 

Hmm:

 

While GRTC released preliminary renderings of the stations, they don’t plan to release renderings of the rapid-transit branded buses until Spring. They recently held a survey to name the system.

McNally says they’ll be the same buses the system currently uses, only painted differently and with a fairing on the front to make them look faster.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Icetera

[wrldcoupe4]

I'm surprised to see that RIC outpaced Norfolk by 450,000 passengers last year. I know there is NN/Williamsburg as well, but they have been steadily losing traffic over the past decade. Is air travel in Hampton Roads that affected by govt spending?

 

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/article_f1f23f28-6ddb-5aca-b4fb-b3d2693c0cd7.html

[varunner]

http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/market-shift/Content?oid=2168821

 

Article on the train shed renovations. It has a rendering including parts of a slavery museum and some pretty cool, modern looking solar panels (or maybe street lights?).

[Shakman]

While in Downtown a couple of weekends ago, I noticed 7th Street at I-95 /I-64 was closed.  What is going on there?

[eandslee]

I'm not sure, but could it be because of some of the "beautification" efforts that have been taking place lately?  You know, the landscaping beaufication projects, which, to me, seem miniscule and not at all very striking (saw some photos in a story either RVANews or Style Weekly did in the past couple weeks).

[Icetera]

While in Downtown a couple of weekends ago, I noticed 7th Street at I-95 /I-64 was closed.  What is going on there?

 

Bridge replacement over Leigh St.  Once complete they will do the same with 5th St.  I am very much not looking forward to that.

[Shakman]

Bridge replacement over Leigh St.  Once complete they will do the same with 5th St.  I am very much not looking forward to that.

Thanks for the info.  I wonder if this is has any relationship with the expected I-64 /I-95 interchange improvements.

[Icetera]

Thanks for the info.  I wonder if this is has any relationship with the expected I-64 /I-95 interchange improvements.

 

Who's idea was it to have both 5th and 7th streets closed at the same time?!  Arg, I work in between both (HDL) so this should be fun...

 

http://richmondvaannouncements.blogspot.com/2015/05/final-phase-begins-to-replace-5th-and.html

 

Final Phase Begins to Replace 5th and 7th Street Bridges:

On Wednesday morning, May 13, prior to rush hour, 5th Street Bridge over Leigh Street will close to vehicular and pedestrian traffic to allow for bridge replacement.  Construction is expected to end in mid-August.

The following changes will be in place during construction: 

 

• 5th Street will be closed at Jackson Street to through traffic.  Traffic will be detoured to 3rd Street; south on 3rd Street to Marshall Street, east on Marshall Street to 5th Street
• Leigh Street will remain closed to vehicles, pedestrians and parking between 4th Street and 8th Street.  No on-street parking will be permitted.

Motorists are encouraged to adhere to all detour and parking signage posted in the construction area.

Meantime, work is continuing to replace the 7th Street Bridge, which has been closed since January. The bridge is expected to re-open in mid-June.

The $3.6 million dollar project is being funded through City and state funds.  The contract has been awarded to Corman Construction.

[Steve_]

Wow - I thought they were going to take turns! Im also there at HDL, traffic on Jackson will be a bear. (And if the 7th street work is taking 5 months, I wonder why they're optimistic the 5th street work will be done in 3...). Anyway, I hope at least once the structural work is done you can at least see a difference. Had to be done