Richmond Region Transportation

[Downtowner]

I however welcome the powhite extension I just wish they had a major interstate going east and west in chesterfield like I-64 runs through henrico I think it would take away a lot of traffic off midlothian and hull street road. Just ashame all they have is a toll road had 288 and 95 but 95 doesn’t run through the heavier populated parts of chesterfield. Just wish they would have an East and west interstate in chesterfield.


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[eandslee]

Good article on GRTC and the Pulse BRT’s future:

https://ggwash.org/view/79980/is-a-north-south-pulse-brt-the-future-of-transit-in-richmond

[rjp212]

Richmond has received a grant to paint the BRT lanes Red according to Stoney’s State of Richmond Address. 

[Icetera]

28 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

Richmond has received a grant to paint the BRT lanes Red according to Stoney’s State of Richmond Address. 

That should be a great visual improvement for pedestrians / drivers.

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, rjp212 said:

Richmond has received a grant to paint the BRT lanes Red according to Stoney’s State of Richmond Address. 

Thank goodness!!!  They should have done this from the start.  It sure will make people less confused about which lane is the BRT lane (duh, it will be all red).  As a result, I hope there is less lane buffoonery and safer for both motorists and pedestrians.  Some of the best news all day!

[eandslee]

Could GRTC buses be rolling down Route 60 to just west of Chesterfield Town Center soon?  Looks like it!  Amazing how far Chesterfield has come.  Ideally, this corridor (Route 60) would be perfect for a BRT/light rail line!

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/chesterfield-explores-expanding-route-60-bus-line/

Edited March 13, 2021 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, eandslee said:

Could GRTC buses be rolling down Route 60 to just west of Chesterfield Town Center soon?  Looks like it!  Amazing how far Chesterfield has come.  Ideally, this corridor (Route 60) would be perfect for a BRT/light rail line!

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/chesterfield-explores-expanding-route-60-bus-line/

That would be great to see (BRT/light rail). Either way, getting the bus service extended is a good next step in the regional transit puzzle. Next up: 360?

I'm wondering through if the next logical BRT line would be something north/south that gets both the Chamberlayne Avenue/Brook Road corridor, Belvidere Street, Cowardin Avenue and U.S. 1 south corridor?

[I miss RVA]

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in "off-topic" - but since its transportation related, I thought it might spark conversation here. Our friends on the RVA/Reddit page have gotten into some really interesting and lively discussion about the future of regional transit in Richmond - and hopes that one day RVA will have a light rail system. Some folks have posted their own concepts of what a regional light-rail system could look like - and there was one that was quite interesting that I found in a post from some time ago. (I'll post that below). Today, I saw this post about recalling RVA's classic electric streetcar system. RVA, of course, had the first fully operational streetcar system in the country, if I'm recalling my local history lessons from way back when. With Richmond beginning to really boom (especially the city itself), and emphasis placed on the current Pulse BRT line - and perhaps development of a second line with more to follow, I thought it might be interesting to revisit how streetcars ran in Richmond. And look at one proposal for an RVA rapid transit system that perhaps a generation or two down the road of Richmonders could see come into existence. 

Obviously prohibitive cost factors are perhaps the biggest obstacle to ever seeing something like a regional light rail system - and there would be NIMBYs I'm sure. Still, it's fun to look back at once was, and to speculate as to what could be.

 

[whw53]

@I miss RVA this reminds me - I forgot where I signed up for this but I get these 'Richmond Urbanism Happy Hour' invites from the Richmond chapter of the American Planning Association once every other month or so - haven't attended in a while but I will share out here. They are free! This one is on 'Addressing Transportation Inequity' 

Richmond Urbanism Happy Hour: Addressing Transportation Inequity

Thu, April 1, 2021

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM EDT

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/richmond-urbanism-happy-hour-addressing-transportation-inequity-tickets-147909295685

 

 The panel includes:

• Louise Lockett Gordon, Director of Bike Walk RVA
• Julie Timm, CEO of GRTC
• Mariia Zimmerman, Principal at MZ Strategies

Edited March 24, 2021 by whw53

[I miss RVA]

30 minutes ago, whw53 said:

@I miss RVA this reminds me - I forgot where I signed up for this but I get these 'Richmond Urbanism Happy Hour' invites from the Richmond chapter of the American Planning Association once every other month or so - haven't attended in a while but I will share out here. They are free! This one is on 'Addressing Transportation Inequity' 

Richmond Urbanism Happy Hour: Addressing Transportation Inequity

Thu, April 1, 2021

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM EDT

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/richmond-urbanism-happy-hour-addressing-transportation-inequity-tickets-147909295685

 

 The panel includes:

• Louise Lockett Gordon, Director of Bike Walk RVA
• Julie Timm, CEO of GRTC
• Mariia Zimmerman, Principal at MZ Strategies

This looks really good! Thank so much for sharing it! I'll definitely sign up & check this out.

[Icetera]

Governor's Officer Press Release:

Quote

Agreements reached with Amtrak, CSX, VRE agreements to advance construction of a new Long Bridge and transform passenger, commuter, and freight rail in Virginia

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2021/march/headline-894116-en.html

[Hike]

Buttigieg joins Northam to seal $3.7 billion deal to expand passenger rail between D.C., Richmond  

Grabbed the highpoints, mostly copied it, and linked it below.

• Alexandria will be a key link between trains coming from all over Virginia and a new railroad bridge across the Potomac River to Union Station in Washington.
• The agreements will commit Virginia to purchasing 350 miles of railroad right-of-way and 225 miles of track from CSX. The agreements will allow the state to boost passenger rail travel along the Interstate 95 corridor from Richmond to Washington and the Northeast, expand service to western Virginia and revive an abandoned rail line to North Carolina that could become part of high-speed rail service to the Southeast.
• For Richmond, the construction of a separate bridge across the Potomac next to the 117-year-old Long Bridge will allow trains to run almost hourly between the Amtrak station on Staples Mill Road in Henrico County and Union Station in the next decade.
• The expanded service also will allow more passenger trains to run from the Staples Mill station to Main Street Station in Shockoe Bottom, a longstanding goal to revitalize the oldest part of the city. Virginia transportation officials expect an existing train to begin serving the downtown station this year and two new trains to run there when the first phase of expansion is complete in 2026.
• Ultimately, three more daily trains will run between Richmond and Washington by the end of the second phase in 2030, for a total of six new passenger trains between the two cities, including one that will begin running from Staples Mill to Norfolk this year.
• The rail deal also will allow the expansion of passenger rail service by VRE in traffic-clogged Northern Virginia. Plans include six additional trains on the regional commuter network's line between Union Station and Spotsylvania County, including one this year. VRE also will be able to add four passenger trains for daily service on its Manassas line, but that depends on agreements with Norfolk Southern Corp. for its portion of the rail right of way.
  • All of the plans depend on the construction of a new bridge  that allows the separation of passenger and freight rail traffic that currently share the two-track Long Bridge.
  • The Federal Rail Administration and National Park Service completed a final environmental impact statement for the project in early September. Congress approved the transfer of 4 acres of park service land necessary to build the project as part of an omnibus spending and relief package that then-President Donald Trump signed on Dec. 27.
• Virginia is committing $525 million over the next three years to pay for the right-of-way and track it is purchasing from CSX. The General Assembly approved amendments to the state budget last fall that gave state officials more flexibility to move money between projects to overcome a shortfall in transportation funding caused by the pandemic.
• The amendments also allowed the state to maintain funding for its Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and to establish the new Virginia Passenger Rail Authority created under Northam's omnibus transportation funding package. The assembly adopted it a year ago, just before the pandemic began to bring the state to a near standstill.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/buttigieg-joins-northam-to-seal-3-7-billion-deal-to-expand-passenger-rail-between-d/article_c7baaa92-632e-5b6a-b595-6c00a7f40f8a.html#tracking-source=home-breaking

Edited March 30, 2021 by Hike

[blopp1234]

Great news that this is being finalized. Hopefully Virginia has even more ambitious passenger rail plans in place so if the Biden administration opens up the billions being proposed for passenger rail expansion, Virginia can capitalize and expand service even more, such as building the s-line to Raleigh or implementing east-west service. For now, I definitely look forward to using the new services.

[I miss RVA]

Pulled this link off the RVA/Reddit regarding the RAL to RVA rail line being included in the new federal infrastructure plan.

https://wtop.com/virginia/2021/04/more-raleigh-to-richmond-amtrak-runs-proposed-in-biden-plan/

[Icetera]

I have been noticing that Amtrak has started running what appears to be a singular Super Liner car (two levels) on some of the Northeast Regional trains to/from Newport News.  Looks like it may have started yesterday.

[Icetera]

7 hours ago, Icetera said:

I have been noticing that Amtrak has started running what appears to be a singular Super Liner car (two levels) on some of the Northeast Regional trains to/from Newport News.  Looks like it may have started yesterday.

Confirmed that they started Sleeping Car service yesterday:
 
 

[rjp212]

City seems to have recently installed a few new ADA compliant sidewalk ramps throughout the city.  Also, new "stop for pedestrians" crosswalk pilons in the middle of the roads.   I've noticed a few drivers slow down or come to a stop to look for pedestrians. 

 I have been pleasantly surprised with the city's roll out of pedestrian/bicycle upgrades in the past year or so.   Potholes still continue to be an issue but they seem to be addressing that as well.

Edited April 6, 2021 by rjp212

[I miss RVA]

39 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

City seems to have recently installed a few new ADA compliant sidewalk ramps throughout the city.  Also, new "stop for pedestrians" crosswalk pilons in the middle of the roads.   I've noticed a few drivers slow down or come to a stop to look for pedestrians. 

 I have been pleasantly surprised with the city's roll out of pedestrian/bicycle upgrades in the past year or so.   Potholes still continue to be an issue but they seem to be addressing that as well.

Saw this on the RVA/Reddit regarding the 'stop for pedestrian' pilons - the title of the post says it all. Unfortunately, so do the pictures. 
 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2021 by I miss RVA

[Brent114]

That sign, on Brooklyn Park Blvd, is too close to  the cross street.  You  have to swing really wide to miss it when turning left onto Brooklyn Park Blvd.   You have to pull out quickly too to get onto the road.  The traffic is fast and it’s kinda hard to see very far in either direction.   Stop signs would be better here (or put it across the intersection so it doesn’t affect people turning left).  The bike lane is at the other side of this intersection anyway. 

[Icetera]

18 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

That sign, on Brooklyn Park Blvd, is too close to  the cross street.  You  have to swing really wide to miss it when turning left onto Brooklyn Park Blvd.   You have to pull out quickly too to get onto the road.  The traffic is fast and it’s kinda hard to see very far in either direction.   Stop signs would be better here.

While I appreciate the signs these are some great points.  We really need to convert more intersections to 4-way stops, especially along E. Main through Shockoe Bottom and Hull St. through Manchester.  These heavily trafficked 2-way streets are hazards to cross for both pedestrians and cars (which add yet more danger for pedestrians).

[Brent114]

I generally like these signs.  The one in this photo is just in the path of turning vehicles. 
Your choices are to hit the curb, hit the sign or do a two part turn in the middle of Brooklyn. Park Blvd  

[Icetera]

6 hours ago, Brent114 said:

I generally like these signs.  The one in this photo is just in the path of turning vehicles. 
Your choices are to hit the curb, hit the sign or do a two part turn in the middle of Brooklyn. Park Blvd  

I did not realize exactly which one we had been talking about but now I just happened to drive by it.  That thing is now flat.

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Icetera said:

I did not realize exactly which one we had been talking about but now I just happened to drive by it.  That thing is now flat.

- I don't know why I'm laughing... but I am... 

 

[Icetera]

41 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

- I don't know why I'm laughing... but I am... 

 

If it makes you feel better, Redditors report that a replacement has been installed.  Looks like they will have to be out there once per week at this rate!

[I miss RVA]

GRTC maintaining zero-fare rides through next June.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/06/16/grtc-passes-2022-fiscal-year-budget-that-will-allow-free-rides-to-continue/