Richmond Region Transportation

[georgeglass]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but snapped a shot of the bridge over 95 in Petersburg as I was driving to ATL on Thursday. Should be an attractive addition when done. Anyone know if it will be lit at night?

 

 

[eandslee]

18 minutes ago, georgeglass said:

Wasn't sure where to post this, but snapped a shot of the bridge over 95 in Petersburg as I was driving to ATL on Thursday. Should be an attractive addition when done. Anyone know if it will be lit at night?

 

 

Based off of what I see on this page, it looks like this bridge will be illuminated at night. Marcus Squires of this forum turned our attention to this development on the Tri-Cities thread, but here is a link to this project’s page:

http://chromadesigninc.com/portfolio-item/petersburg-gateway/

Thanks for the photo!  Looking great!  That area certainly needs something that says welcome more than run-down buildings and other blighted property!

[Shakman]

James River Bridge (I-95):

http://www.nbc12.com/story/38763842/i-95-james-river-bridge-to-see-night-time-closures-for-months

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by Shakman

[rjp212]

Guess we could place this info here, but while out driving today, I noticed what seemed to be Bird Scooters on Main Street.  Turns out they did a sneak attack and launched without a permit today. They’ve been requested to remove them immediately, but I hope they can come back.  Great way to get around town, even if you have a few idiots on them. 

https://www.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/update-richmond-shutting-down-unsanctioned-scooter-share-system/article_8c5579a6-d3f0-5596-8648-7a175b7bb7f7.html

[jbjust]

They launched them again today!  Talk about not taking “no” for an answer. 

[Wahoo 07]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/09/20/mayors-proposal-give-wings-dockless-scooters/

I really hope that dockless scooters become a permanent part of the Richmond transportation cocktail soon.   While the system has  few kinks to work out, riding them is easy and wicked fun.

[I miss RVA]

 

On 6/29/2018 at 12:02 PM, Hike said:

you know how it is in Richmond, it could have been done much sooner but we had to talk about how great the old one was which delayed the process.  

Yep - first must talk about how great the old one was, then must photograph and have famous local authors write books documenting the history of the old one, then there must be intervention by the Virginia Historical Society and/or the Historic Richmond Foundation to propose preserving part or all of the old one, then public hearings at City Council on whether or not to save the old one, then approval from the planning commission for removing the old one and building the new one, a final vote on City Council that gets delayed several months by various amendments related to cost structure, financing, public funds, bonds, etc., and then - and only then - is the new one built.  Of course, to be quickly followed by an architectural critique by Ed Slipek in Style Weekly.  Part in parcel as to why projects that should take only a month or two start to finish generally take, on average, 3 to 5 years from planning to completion, providing the developer doesn't simply throw up his hands and walk away from it altogether.

Meanwhile, in cities like Charlotte, Atlanta, and the biggest insult of all, now RALEIGH.... sheesh!!!!

Edited September 29, 2018 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

On 7/17/2018 at 9:11 PM, eandslee said:

Great report on how the GRTC Pulse is doing 3 weeks into its existence.  Looks like it is exceeding expectations!  Check it out:

https://wtvr.com/2018/07/17/grtc-bus-data-shows-new-pulse-beating-goals-every-day/

Glad to see/hear the Pulse system is working out well and that ridership is good. I'm sure once GRTC gets the kinks worked out, it will be a smooth and efficient system.

Speculative question:  does anyone think at any point down the line the city or GRTC (or both) might consider a second Pulse line on a north-south axis - connecting the northern suburbs via the Chamberlayne/Belvidere/Lee Bridge/Cowardin Ave corridor with the south side leg perhaps following either Midlothian Turnpike or Hull Street southwest to Chippenham or just beyond?  Only thing missing would be the obvious need for a transfer station at Belvidere and Broad, and that's pretty close to the VCU stop.  Still - would be nice to see at some point a north-south component to this.

[cbl1]

The master plan shows 2 north south pulse lines (a Jeff davis side and Midlothian turnpike side going south ... and north too).  Another east west through carytown area   

 

[DowntownCoruscant]

How on earth would they configure a Carytown route? 

[Brent114]

Up Elwood? 

That route does seem useless.  

Jeff Davis, Hull, Staples Mill, Chamberlayne , Laburnum (RIC) should be the focus.   People don’t need help moving around the Fan.  

Edited October 3, 2018 by Brent114

[I miss RVA]

cbl1 - thanks!  Where would one find the master plan? (GRTC/Pulse site or City of Richmond govt site?)

Coruscant and Brent - Fully agreed. Cary Street isn't wide enough for a dedicated Pulse lane.  That doesn't make a lot of sense.

Jeff Davis and Midlo - am guessing the Midlo line would run into Jeff Davis?  How far south would the Jeff Davis line go - and would it be supported?  I worked at Philip Morris back in the 90s and everything heading south from Cowardin Ave is all industrial. (or it was back then). I'm surprised nothing of note in the master plan about connecting the northern corridor via Chamberlayne - if it was run to a kiss-n-ride lot somewhere just north of the city limits - or even all the way to Virginia Center Commons, it would have plenty of ridership to and from Downtown.  It would be an excellent commuter line that would grab suburban riders in that area as well as a lot of fairly densely populated Northside neighborhoods.

Not sure a full south Jeff Davis line makes nearly as much sense as a Chamberlayne line does.

How far west would the Midlo line run?  There again is a potential ridership issue - from Chippenham in until past Belt Boulevard, there's not a lot of residential areas immediately within walking distance of a station.  Folks likely would have to drive to those stops - which would necessitate parking lots.  A Westover Hills (or even Stratford Hills) line would make more sense from a ridership perspective, except for the fact that Forest Hill Ave near the park - and Semmes Ave are both fairly narrow and likely not well suited for a dedicated BRT line.

I'd love to see the master plan to also get an idea of where these north-south and carytown lines would converge or connect downtown.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

5 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Up Elwood? 

That route does seem useless.  

Jeff Davis, Hull, Staples Mill, Chamberlayne , Laburnum (RIC) should be the focus.   People don’t need help moving around the Fan.  

and Midlothian

[Brent114]

Jeff Davis all the way down to Bentley or the Deffence Supply of Richmond area.  There are a few growing mixed use projects down there (high density housing) and tons of apartment complexes and trailer parks down that way....and the demographics that support public transportation.  It’s probably the most under served and in need population in the metro. 

Potential for kiss-and-ride lots at Chippenham and Jeff Davis. 

 

I’d like to see it go from 295 down to the Defense  Supply area. That route is wide and can spare the lanes.  It would be easy to put in the lines. 

Edited October 4, 2018 by Brent114

[cbl1]

Here is info on possible transit direction http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/media/2339/grtvp_final.pdf where it shows possible routes future BRT routes.

 

 

[cbl1]

[eandslee]

15 minutes ago, cbl1 said:

How is it that the airport is not a major destination in this plan?   Omitting the airport would be a HUGE mistake. 

[Brent114]

Also lacking are areas where people actually rely on public transportation.  

Running public transportation through some of the wealthiest suburbs is simply a vanity project.  I get lines to shopping areas and employment centers but no one needs to take a bus to Brandermill or Midlothian. 

In a perfect world these lines would exist but the areas where people rely on public transportation should be served first. 

 

I take the Pulse 1-2 times a week.  80% + of the passengers use it because the bus is their only means of transportation (I ride it for fun and convenience).  If you live in the suburbs you probably have a car.  If you have a car you won’t double your commute time by taking the bus (my trips out to Willow long take at least twice as long as they would if I drove). 

[cbl1]

Looking at it - it shows the airport as a high frequency connector but not as a BRT route.   

[I miss RVA]

cbl1 - thanks for posting these!

indeed, running it straight down Jeff Davis would make sense given the width of the street supporting dedicated lanes, plus Philip Morris anchoring the southern end.  Interesting running a line to Brandermill. Mechanicsville makes sense - but I agree, why nothing to/from the airport?  And what about a northern corridor route from, say, Virginia Center Commons straight down Brook Road and either coming in via Brook Road or Chamberlayne Ave and including the Belvidere Street corridor?

For routes coming in from the south side, how would they cross the river?  Lee Bridge or Manchester Bridge? And where would a major transfer station be located?

[rjp212]

Cool, but also discouraging, interactive map of the current conditions of Richmond's Road.

http://cor.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=30c7084e3a2242a9beb47f75dd18c4db

[Wahoo 07]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/07/01/coliseum-plan-intersect-leigh-street-upgrade-project/

Not sure if this is the best thread for it, but Leigh Street might be getting some much needed upgrades.

[blopp1234]

There are currently has 20 round trips on Amtrak between here and dc. Under the proposed DC2RVA project, that number is expected to jump up to around 30 daily round trips, up from 20 currently. Hopefully they increase the speed to make it fat enough to dominate the market share between Richmond and dc.

[jbjust]

13 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

There are currently has 20 round trips on Amtrak between here and dc. Under the proposed DC2RVA project, that number is expected to jump up to around 30 daily round trips, up from 20 currently. Hopefully they increase the speed to make it fat enough to dominate the market share between Richmond and dc.

The fact that they're still relying on diesel south of DC means that we're stuck in the 20th century for the foreseeable future.  I was a dedicated once/week Amtrak rider for a year or so and the 30% late southbound arrivals and the 10% extremely late southbound arrivals have pushed me back into my car.  When they finish the HOT lane project that will extend south of Fredricksburg in a couple of years and finish converting the 395 HOV lane into a proper HOT lane, I don't imagine it will ever make much sense to take Amtrak.

[Icetera]

On 8/4/2019 at 9:55 AM, jbjust said:

The fact that they're still relying on diesel south of DC means that we're stuck in the 20th century for the foreseeable future.  I was a dedicated once/week Amtrak rider for a year or so and the 30% late southbound arrivals and the 10% extremely late southbound arrivals have pushed me back into my car.  When they finish the HOT lane project that will extend south of Fredricksburg in a couple of years and finish converting the 395 HOV lane into a proper HOT lane, I don't imagine it will ever make much sense to take Amtrak.

That HOT lane will probably cost more than Amtrak, never-mind gas.  Unfortunately, just adding another person makes the car more financially sensible.