The Time Has Come, The Transit Fans Said

A bit more info about the Richmond Transit Network Plan, which is an incredibly unique opportunity before us to enhance transit in the City - one that will not come again anytime soon. You can see the dates and times for the public meetings at www.rvarapidtransit.org/events. The first ones are coming up next Tues evening, April 19, and Wed evening, April 20, and Style Weekly has a quick article on it, "Study Kicks Off on Richmond Bus Overhaul." Spread the word!

On the regional front, here is a great Richmond Magazine interview with the man, the myth, the legend professor John Moeser: "On BRT, 'We Have to Build a Web.'"  On this note, if you know of a group or organization that might be interested in having an RVA Rapid Transit presentation on the regional system, just email rvarapidtransit@gmail.com. Continuing to grow the movement of active and engaged supporters is how we will bring regional transit to fruition - one conversation, one presentation, one outreach at a time.  

Shaping Our Transit Future

A few exciting updates:

Richmond Transit Network Plan is here! - The first set of meetings for this incredibly unique chance to enhance our current bus system are here. 

Through interaction with the project team, these meetings afford an opportunity to: (1) see how transit performs in Richmond compared to other regions; (2) learn tradeoffs between different transit goals and their affect on a bus network's design; and (3) provide critical feedback on whichtransit goals you think are most important for Richmond.    

There are three distinct nights to join (6-8 pm April 19 & 20 and May 3) and one midday meeting (12-2 pm May 4), and info on the location for each is available at www.facebook.com/richmondtnp. 

Please be sure to carve out time to make it to one of these. This is not a plan for the shelf but geared for implementation, so broad-based public insight and perspective are key! 

Movement Marches On

The movement for metro-wide transit continues to grow. A few interesting reads and upcoming opportunities below: 

Good Reads - If you haven't had a chance to yet, check out Michael Paul Williams' recent editorial "On GRTC, Chesterfield must truly buy in" as well as The Chesterfield Observer's "Taking Chesterfield's Pulse."

Book Club? - If you'd be interested in joining in a book club this spring/summer reading and discussing Jarrett Walker's Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Human Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives, just email rvarapidtransit@gmail.com. Jarrett Walker + Associates will be helping with the awesome Richmond Transit Network Plan currently afoot -- info on public input opportunities coming soon! 

Want to Get Involved? - If you would be game to be more involved in growing the movement, especially as we're reaching out more in Chesterfield and Henrico, please just contact rvarapidtransit@gmail.org. There are a host of ways to help, and your time, energy, and passion make such a critically influential difference. Thank you!

Newsletter, February 2016

News

FEB 8, 2016, CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO MOVE FORWARD WTIH GRTC PULSE!

• At the City Council meeting on February 8, City Council has voted strongly to move forward with construction of the GRTC Pulse line. See Richmond Times-Dispatch coverage here! 
• Enormous thanks to everyone for such diligent work on this initiative. Your emails, phone calls, conversations, posts, presence, and advocacy are what made this possible.  Enormous thanks as well to all the partners on this project and to all City Council members for their hard work and service. 
• You can also continue to voice overwhelming support for this project via this RTD poll: "Are you happy that Richmond city council approved the $49 million bus rapid transit project?"
• Please be sure to reach out to council members to thank them for their due diligence and work on this key issue! Emails are below: 

Parker Agelasto <Parker.Agelasto@richmondgov.com>; Ellen Robertson <Ellen.Robertson@Richmondgov.com>; Cynthia Newbille <Cynthia.Newbille@Richmondgov.com>; Chris Hilbert <Chris.Hilbert@Richmondgov.com>; Jonathan Baliles <Jonathan.Baliles@richmondgov.com>; Kathy Graziano <Kathy.Graziano@RichmondGov.com>; Michelle Mosby <Michelle.Mosby@richmondgov.com>; Reva Trammell <Reva.Trammell@Richmondgov.com>; Charles Samuels <Charles.Samuels@richmondgov.com> 

Next Steps to Regional System & Call to Action

RICHMOND REGIONAL TRANSIT VISION PLAN - PUBLIC MEETINGS IN MARCH

• The Richmond Regional Transit Vision Plan will be key our push for regional system. You can learn much more about it at its website - http://rvatransitvision.com/. 
• The next round of public meetings for this study are coming up in March. Please be sure to make it out to one to express the need and promise of a metro-wide system, as well as where you would like to see it go. 
• Meetings will be open house style. Participants can arrive at any point in the two hours and move through interactive stations. 
  • Wednesday, March 9, 6-8 pm (open house) at North Park Library, 8505 Franconia Road
  • Thursday, March 10, 6-8 pm (open house) at Ramsey United Methodist Church, 5900 Hull Street Road
  • Monday, March 14, 6-8 pm (open house) at DMV West Broad, 2300 W. Broad Street

Input in REVISIONing GRTC ROUTES - Comprehensive Operational analysis study (COA)

• Richmond City is about to begin a year long study on how to best revamp GRTC routes, which have been largely unchanged for decades. Check out this article "City to rethink GRTC routes" in the Richmond Times-Dispatch for more information. 
• We will send word when first round of public input meetings are on this front, which will be critical to seizing this unparalleled opportunity to enhance public transportation even before further expansion into the counties.