Choosing transit for the city

We’ve been focusing a lot lately on Chesterfield, particularly Route 1, but there are also incredible things afoot in the City. Over the past couple of months the Richmond Transit Network Plan folks, a team of transit rockstars (seriously!), have been hard at work redesigning Richmond City’s bus system and bringing it into the modern era. They've just released three concepts for a revamped bus network (called: Ridership, Coverage, and Familiar) and they need feedback!

To get a deep dive on what the three choices would mean for Richmond, I really recommend reading The Richmond Transit Choices Report—or for quick overview see their post “Visualizing Transit Choices”.

In a nutshell, the Richmond Transit Network Plan team is asking key questions like: Do we want longer wait times between buses, or shorter walks to bus stops? Do we want more frequent bus service on major corridors, or more coverage of the City but with less frequent lines? The great thing is: It's up to us. We get to decide!

Attend one of these four public meetings and let them know where you fall on the spectrum of Ridership, Coverage, and Familiar. You can also always email comments here.

• July 26th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM • Southside Community Services Center (4100 Hull Street)
• July 27th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM • DMV Richmond Central Services Center (2300 West Broad Street)
• August 3rd, 6:00 - 8:00 PM • Powhatan Community Center (5051 Northampton Street)
• August 4th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM • Community High School (201 Brookland Park Boulevard)

Regional Picture Coming into Focus

Regional Picture Coming into Focus

We've been talking a lot recently about the excellent Richmond Transit Network Plan, with which Jarrett Walker + Associates is helping us enhance the City's local bus network. Today though, we re-highlight the Richmond Regional Transit Vision Plan, which has been progressing diligently all the while and is now reaching its final stage - three cheers! 

The time has come to check out what a regional system could look like for Metro Richmond, so please be sure to join in one of the following public meetings and provide your feedback on the draft. [Note: it's open house, so don't have to come for two hours (unless really excited), but as you're able]

June 7 (6-8 pm) – Monument Heights Baptist Church (5716 Monument Ave)  

June 9 (6-8 pm) – Central Montessori School (323 N 20th St) 

June 13 (6-8 pm) –Bensley Elementary School (6600 Strathmore Road)

And for a fantastic snapshot of our region historically and its inter-jurisdictional dynamics - large reason why there is both such need and promise for regional transit - check out John Moeser's "How we got here and why it matters."

Bird's Eye View: Plans for Transit in RVA!

There are a lot of plans, studies, and public meetings going on these days, so for bird's eye clarity's sake, here come the excellent opportunities underway right this red hot second for us to enhance transit, as well as transit-oriented development, for RVA. Hold on to your hats: 

Transit Plans

(1) Richmond Regional Transit Vision Plan, should finish fall 2016 - This is a long-term plan to envision transit development in our region through 2040. This plan should be complete in fall 2016 and has its next round for public input coming up in June (more info on that via link above). This plan also has a highlights reel. party on.   

(2) Richmond Transit Network Plan, should finish January 2017 - This plan is the incredibly unique chance to enhance the GRTC bus network paid for by the City (so this plan is distinct from the "Richmond Regional TransitVision Plan" above). This is also the plan that all star Jarrett Walker + Associates is helping with and that just completed its first round of public meetings, which we were encouraging everyone to attend. Many of you have also checked out the online survey for this RTNP - thank you!

Land Use Plans

(1) Broad and E. Main St Corridor Plan, should finish fall 2016/winter 2017 - This is the land use planning that the GRTC Pulse/BRT will so excellently complement. Amplified economic redevelopment (jobs, culture, restaurants, housing, etc.) along the corridor here we come. For the Greater Fulton community, there is also a Ladders of Opportunity Transportation Empowerment Pilot Initiative (from U.S. Department of Transportation) going on as well, which will tie in very nicely with Richmond TransitNetwork Plan above too. 

(2) Northern Jefferson Davis Corridor Plan, should have draft ready for public view in fall 2016 - This is a special area plan being undertaken by Chesterfield County (yeah Chesterfield!). One key goal for us is to be sure transit along Jeff Davis is included in the plan. We'll be working to express this need and organize this call over the summer and fall, so if you'd like to learn more on that front or help with it, just shout out to rvarapidtransit@gmail.com.