Richmond Region Transportation

[Icetera]

12 minutes ago, DowntownCoruscant said:

Normally not a fan of speed bumps, but I see the rationale for putting them on Grove. Especially on weekend nights people zoom along, which combined with the street parking obstructions, makes turning onto Grove more or less a game of chance.

More reason to just do 4 way stops.  Artificially slowing traffic by using speed bumps does nothing to help cars trying to turn.

[Shakman]

May years ago I got a Ford Escort air born.  

1 hour ago, Icetera said:

More reason to just do 4 way stops.  Artificially slowing traffic by using speed bumps does nothing to help cars trying to turn.

My current vehicle prefers 4-way stops over speed bumps.  

Edited February 27, 2020 by Shakman

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Shakman said:

May years ago I got a Ford Escort air born.  

My current vehicle prefers 4-way stops over speed bumps.  

I heard that! Ask ANY vehicle and it will tell you!

One problem with 4-way stops -- especially in the wee hours of the overnight, there are the motorists who have a penchant for blowing through those stop signs as if they are not even there. Sometimes they don't even slow down. While speed bumps don't deter blowing through an intersection, it does keep the speeds quite a bit lower, unless the jerk is just hellbent on breaking his suspension all to pieces.

[DowntownCoruscant]

5 hours ago, Icetera said:

More reason to just do 4 way stops.  Artificially slowing traffic by using speed bumps does nothing to help cars trying to turn.

Fair, can’t dispute that. 

[Icetera]

2 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

I heard that! Ask ANY vehicle and it will tell you!

One problem with 4-way stops -- especially in the wee hours of the overnight, there are the motorists who have a penchant for blowing through those stop signs as if they are not even there. Sometimes they don't even slow down. While speed bumps don't deter blowing through an intersection, it does keep the speeds quite a bit lower, unless the jerk is just hellbent on breaking his suspension all to pieces.

Same issue can happen at the 1 or 2 way stops as well.  At least with a 4 way, the other cars are likely stopped and checking.  If not, then the problem solves itself

[Henrico Weather]

Money, money, money.... https://ggwash.org/view/76485/new-transportation-dollars-will-flow-into-central-virginia-but-what-will-it-be-used-for

[rjp212]

Nice. Let’s get BRT on Jefferson Davis. 

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, rjp212 said:

Nice. Let’s get BRT on Jefferson Davis. 

AMEN!!

[I miss RVA]

OK, boys -- this is at least a start! Interesting that Chesterfield is on board with this. Perhaps this gives some impetus to seriously looking at a Jeff-Davis BRT line. Off-topic but connected: If a north-south BRT line is built along the Jeff-Davis spine, where does it terminate? What about running along Belvidere St. and instead of stopping at Broad, keep it going north up to Chamberlayne, Ave and taking all the way to Azalea Ave?

https://www.richmond.com/news/local/a-grtc-bus-route-is-launching-monday-along-the-jefferson/article_f2511f24-f79f-56bd-9675-675c1675343a.html

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

OK, boys -- this is at least a start! Interesting that Chesterfield is on board with this. Perhaps this gives some impetus to seriously looking at a Jeff-Davis BRT line. Off-topic but connected: If a north-south BRT line is built along the Jeff-Davis spine, where does it terminate? What about running along Belvidere St. and instead of stopping at Broad, keep it going north up to Chamberlayne, Ave and taking all the way to Azalea Ave?

https://www.richmond.com/news/local/a-grtc-bus-route-is-launching-monday-along-the-jefferson/article_f2511f24-f79f-56bd-9675-675c1675343a.html

The last plans from GRTC had it running just like that.  Would be good to get it all the way up to VCC.

[I miss RVA]

Agreed! Especially with the new stuff going on at Villa Park and VLC. Would be nice to have that included. Boy, what a north/south route that would be!

[Brent114]

The new route isn’t opening Monday because of covid 19.  Not sure why but I read the notice as it scrolled across the bottom of the TV screen along with all of the other closures.  

[I miss RVA]

18 hours ago, Brent114 said:

The new route isn’t opening Monday because of covid 19.  Not sure why but I read the notice as it scrolled across the bottom of the TV screen along with all of the other closures.  

Wow! Is the rest of GRTC shutting down as well?

[Icetera]

6 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Wow! Is the rest of GRTC shutting down as well?

Not at this time.

[I miss RVA]

20 hours ago, Icetera said:

Not at this time.

That being the case, curious then as to why the new 111 route would not be up and running as planned. I am concerned that the fallout from this virus situation will scuttle projects that are not already underway, and even then as the financial situation deteriorates until there is some stability, I wonder how projects already underway will be impacted? Seemingly more so than other cities, Richmond can't afford to have projects (planned or underway) tabled -- for whatever reason, when Richmond projects get delayed, they ultimately never happen.

Edited March 17, 2020 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

If you want to see something really cool, check out the “Richmond had Rails” Facebook page.  Way cool stuff in there about Richmond and its trolley system!  Apparently, there’s even a documentary.  I think I’m going to check it out. 

[rjp212]

The environmental impact study is complete for the dual track/pedestrian bridge crossing the Potomac.   So far they continue to remain on track (pun intended) to eventually provide hourly service from Richmond to DC, but Covid-19 is presenting some funding challenges.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/virginia-rail-deal-on-track-with-completion-of-environmental-planning-for-new-potomac-river-crossing/article_31b76d8f-9bb9-51e7-8c1b-c31efcde8d84.html

[Wahoo 07]

13 hours ago, rjp212 said:

The environmental impact study is complete for the dual track/pedestrian bridge crossing the Potomac.   So far they continue to remain on track (pun intended) to eventually provide hourly service from Richmond to DC, but Covid-19 is presenting some funding challenges.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/virginia-rail-deal-on-track-with-completion-of-environmental-planning-for-new-potomac-river-crossing/article_31b76d8f-9bb9-51e7-8c1b-c31efcde8d84.html

Get it built.  Next, electrify the corridor and we really have something!

Edited September 4, 2020 by Wahoo 07

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, Wahoo 07 said:

Get it built.  Next, electrify the corridor and we've really have something!

Absolutely!!!

[Richmonder23]

Some big news here: NC gets federal grant to buy corridor for Raleigh-Richmond high-speed rail. I wasn't aware that moves were being made already; looks like a big step as the funding for the state of NC has been secured  to buy their portion of the rail-line. Looks like we're getting closer to high speed rail to both DC and Raleigh; exciting stuff! 

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article245841010.html

[blopp1234]

2 hours ago, Richmonder23 said:

Some big news here: NC gets federal grant to buy corridor for Raleigh-Richmond high-speed rail. I wasn't aware that moves were being made already; looks like a big step as the funding for the state of NC has been secured  to buy their portion of the rail-line. Looks like we're getting closer to high speed rail to both DC and Raleigh; exciting stuff! 

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article245841010.html

Huge news. With the states owning the line, this could make electrification a breeze in the future. With 2.6 million additional riders projected per year between Richmond and dc, I wonder how much a similar level of service from Richmond to Raleigh could attract in passenger numbers. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, blopp1234 said:

Huge news. With the states owning the line, this could make electrification a breeze in the future. With 2.6 million additional riders projected per year between Richmond and dc, I wonder how much a similar level of service from Richmond to Raleigh could attract in passenger numbers. 

Even "through-traffic" between Raleigh and D.C. will benefit Richmond. This is very good news indeed.

[blopp1234]

https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/16610/september_23_-_new_corridors.pdf
A blueprint from the RPA about expanding Amtrak’s regional rail network. Lots of potential in the southeast. They didn’t show a Charlottesville to RVA connection which is alittle confusing seeing how that seems like the next new route in Virginia, however, a network like this could open up so many new travel opportunities south of Richmond that could boost ridership like crazy. I think it said in the article that the systems projected ridership at buildout would be in the 30m range, which is about as many riders take Amtrak’s entire network currently. With the DC2RVA project bringing 18 round trips before the end of this decade, makes me wonder if we could be looking at electrification by 2040, if Va stays ambitious. Hopefully congress gets off their butts and actually takes rail expansion seriously coming out of the pandemic and sees it for the economic booster that it is.

[eandslee]

Looks like Chesterfield has approved funding to go toward extending the Powhite Parkway, which will eventually connect with Route 360 (Hull).  In addition, and on a related note, RBS just had an article that reported that Chesterfield purchased a ton of land (2,000 acres) around where the Powhite Parkway extension will run for a “future economic development opportunity.”  Would love to see the county land a major auto factory or something similar.  Anyway, here is the article on the Powhite Parkway extension:

 https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/supervisors-approve-funding-for-powhite-parkway-extension/

The RBS article I mentioned is here, but the Chesterfield Observer also published an article on the same thing:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/12/24/chesterfield-county-eda-spends-13m-to-secure-2000-acres-near-moseley/

The Chesterfield Observer article:

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/eda-acquires-land-near-magnolia-green-for-13-million/
 

I guess Chesterfield (looking to not be out-done) might be looking to make major ripples in the local regional economy just like Henrico when they announced Green City.  I think major announcements like Green City help push all localities to move forward with ambitious projects not only so that they are not left out of the economic growth circle for the region, but also to offer the best for the citizens of their county.   In this way, competition amongst the counties/city is a good thing!  However, forget about them doing anything together!

Edited December 25, 2020 by eandslee

[blopp1234]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

Looks like Chesterfield has approved funding to go toward extending the Powhite Parkway, which will eventually connect with Route 360 (Hull).  In addition, and on a related note, RBS just had an article that reported that Chesterfield purchased a ton of land (2,000 acres) around where the Powhite Parkway extension will run for a “future economic development opportunity.”  Would love to see the county land a major auto factory or something similar.  Anyway, here is the article on the Powhite Parkway extension:

 https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/supervisors-approve-funding-for-powhite-parkway-extension/

The RBS article I mentioned is here, but the Chesterfield Observer also published an article on the same thing:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/12/24/chesterfield-county-eda-spends-13m-to-secure-2000-acres-near-moseley/

The Chesterfield Observer article:

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/eda-acquires-land-near-magnolia-green-for-13-million/
 

I guess Chesterfield (looking to not be out-done) might be looking to make major ripples in the local regional economy just like Henrico when they announced Green City.  I think major announcements like Green City help push all localities to move forward with ambitious projects not only so that they are not left out of the economic growth circle for the region, but also to offer the best for the citizens of their county.   In this way, competition amongst the counties/city is a good thing!  However, forget about them doing anything together!

The land that chesterfield purchased will never be anything industrial. As someone who grew up in he area close to this land, if something like a large manufacturing facility was proposed there, the amount of nimbyism would make the NIMBYs in the city look like weak. The powhite extension is a complete waste of money, as induced demand will only spur more single family residential development and add further gridlock to roads like Hull street and Midlothian turnpike and will make traffic on the powhite worse than it already is. Would have loved to see this money go towards building a light rail line down Midlothian turnpike to the village, where they just passed a plan to allow for higher densities and the creation of a street grid, but chesterfield is still the most backward thinking major county in the Richmond area.