Richmond Region Transportation

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

I think it depends on their design. I think if they did something similar to a taller version of Raleigh’s under construction RUS Bus tower would be a good addition, but I do agree that a surface transfer station with nothing else would be a real disappointment, especially if they chose the empty dominion tower site. 

 

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

I’m just excited to hear that they want the transfer station to be a part of a lager mixed-use development!  I’ve always envisioned the bus transfer station on the ground level of a 30+-story mixed-use tower.  Sounds like they didn’t talk about how big the mixed-use development would be, but it has the potential to be huge!  When you consider retail, residential, a hotel, office space…depending on how much of each component is included, it could be a significant structure.  Mixed use also just makes sense. You’ll want a variety of “destinations” right there where there should be a lot of people to help buoy the transfer station.  It should be the center of much activity and movement.  The only thing I’m a bit worried about in their plan so far is that they are only looking at 10 bays.  Seems a bit small considering the Pulse N/S route could be going through there, plus any room for expansion.  Build it for the future!  It wouldn’t take that much to add 5-8 more stalls to account for future growth.  I would just hate to see it obsolete shortly after it is built. 

    % agreed on all points, gentlemen.

One thing that IS encouraging, is that at least the powers that be seem to be seriously thinking in this same direction in terms of making the transfer hub PART of something much larger and with potentially decent height and density.

Personally, I have long envisioned this to be something more akin to the "Block 37" development in downtown Chicago, which includes a 16-story office building (into which the financial firm Morningstar, Inc., relocated their global HQ), a multi-level (above and below ground) retail and commercial center, and a 38-story, 690-unit residential tower. I've been through Block 37 countless times since it opened  during the previous decade, and I can attest that it is simply spectacular. Let's build something more like this atop the GRTC transfer hub.

Here's what GRTC is considering from the standpoint of locations:

Edited January 26 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

The Henrico Citizen today had a brief article on planned VDOT improvements to the Parham Road/I-64 interchange. The $14.3 million project is slated to begin construction in the spring of 2028 - with completion by spring of 2029.  Graphics and photo courtesy of VDOT.

From today's Henrico Citizen:

https://www.henricocitizen.com/articles/vdot-planning-improvements-to-parham-road-i-64-interchange/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

From the Virginia Department of Transportation:

https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/richmond-district/interstate-64exit-181-interchange-configuration-improvements/

Edited February 5 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:57 PM, I miss RVA said:

The Henrico Citizen today had a brief article on planned VDOT improvements to the Parham Road/I-64 interchange.

This is a welcome development. The transition from I-64 West to northbound Parham Rd. is pretty bad* due to both the volume of cars and the tendency of drivers to cut all the way over to get to Mayland Dr.

*Pretty bad by RVA standards; we're actually quite lucky in terms of traffic, bottlenecks, etc.

[eandslee]

From the RTD:

The extra bits Richmond area residents pay on sales and gas taxes will help fund an additional $232 million of work to fix major local traffic headaches in the Short Pump area and on Hull Street Road, as well as start north-south Bus Rapid Transit service, the Central Virginia Transportation Authority board has decided.

The idea is that committing local funds tends to speed up the awarding of state and federal money for projects that will take years to design and build.

The local money comes from a 0.7 percentage point surcharge on sales tax across nine localities, as well as a 7.6-cents-per-gallon add-on to the state’s wholesale gasoline tax and a surcharge of 7.7 cents a gallon on the diesel tax. 

The authority’s funding for 22 high-priority regional projects is in addition to its previous commitments of $474.5 million to 45 priority regional commitments from 2021 to 2023.

 The latest awards include:

* $60 million to help fund design and construction of a new interchange at the intersection of North Gayton Road and Interstate 64 in Henrico County’s Short Pump area. This will include reconstructing the existing interchange at West Broad Street, improvements on West Board and improvements to a section of I-295.

* $8 million for the proposed North-South Bus Rapid Transport line – a high frequency, limited stop service like Richmond’s “The Pulse” service. The money will go for construction of stops and other roadway, signal, and pedestrian safety improvements for the 2.5-mile section along Chamberlayne Avenue from the Henrico County line to Lombardy Street.

* $7 million to extend the current east-west “The Pulse" route to the intersection of Parham Road and West Broad Street. The project will include a minimum of 1.25 bidirectional miles of dedicated shared bus and bike lanes.

* $6.5 million for a permanent brick-and-mortar Downtown Transit Hub facility.

* $8.5 million for improvements around the gateway to the Port of Richmond, $7 million for work on Commerce Road, also in South Richmond, and $5 million for a portion of the Fall Line Trail there.

* $27.25 million in Chesterfield County to extend Powhite Parkway to Woolridge Road, including a partial-cloverleaf interchange at Charter Colony Parkway.

* $10.75 million for traffic-clogged U.S. 360, to widen it to six lanes from Cosby Road to Otterdale Road, with right turn lanes at Fox Club Parkway, Otterdale Road, and Hampton Park Drive, and another $10 million for improvements at the intersection with Walnut Grove Road.

* $20.9 million for a project along Midlothian Turnpike, to construct a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists along the south side of Route 60 from Old Otterdale Road to Woolridge Road, as well as to install sidewalks.

* $15 million to help fund improvements at the Route 288 interchange with U.S. 250 in Goochland County, as well as an auxiliary lane on Route 288, and $5 million to help fund improvements at the U.S. 60 intersection with State Route 13 in Powhatan.

* $18.3 million toward the new bridge that will be needed to create a diverging diamond interchange off Interstate 64 at Route 106, as well as $4 million to help finance improvements on New Osborne Turnpike.

[123fakestreet]

44 minutes ago, eandslee said:

* $8 million for the proposed North-South Bus Rapid Transport line – a high frequency, limited stop service like Richmond’s “The Pulse” service. The money will go for construction of stops and other roadway, signal, and pedestrian safety improvements for the 2.5-mile section along Chamberlayne Avenue from the Henrico County line to Lombardy Street.

* $7 million to extend the current east-west “The Pulse" route to the intersection of Parham Road and West Broad Street. The project will include a minimum of 1.25 bidirectional miles of dedicated shared bus and bike lanes.

Interesting this is the first concrete talk about extending the east/west route, and that the north/south at this point is only from Chamberlayne to downtown, not to southside.

[Flood Zone]

My understanding from some conversations with people in the transportation industry is that south of downtown will be a PITA.

So might as well get started on something?

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, Flood Zone said:

My understanding from some conversations with people in the transportation industry is that south of downtown will be a PITA.

So might as well get started on something?

PITA? I've missed the bus (so to speak) on this one. What does this mean?

[Flood Zone]

Pain in the … backside 

[I miss RVA]

13 hours ago, Flood Zone said:

Pain in the … backside 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh -- gotcha!! Or in my world - "a pain in the tuchus". (It never hurts to know a few words of Yiddish  )

Edited February 25 by I miss RVA

[plain]

16 hours ago, Flood Zone said:

My understanding from some conversations with people in the transportation industry is that south of downtown will be a PITA.

So might as well get started on something?

If they would've routed it straight down Belvidere/Cowardin/Richmond Hwy, it would've been a piece of cake. Yeah I know the demand isn't the same, but still.

[123fakestreet]

4 hours ago, plain said:

If they would've routed it straight down Belvidere/Cowardin/Richmond Hwy, it would've been a piece of cake. Yeah I know the demand isn't the same, but still.

Part of the grand plan of a BRT is it is supposed to *induce* demand to it's route...

Edited February 25 by 123fakestreet

[Brent114]

Agreed.  I don’t know  why they are trying to run it down Hull or Midlothian.  The population is just as spread out along those routes (the housing is really far off of Midlothian in particular).  
 

Running it down Richmond Hwy makes more sense to me.  There’s the space and the lots of property along the route that could be redevelop.  The neighborhood between Richmond Hwy and 95 is quickly gentrifying too.  Last spring I looked at a 900 sq foot house that was literally missing the floor (walls were miraculously suspended by the ceiling).  The sellers were asking $120k! 
 

A stop  at Hull or Bainbridge is enough to serve Manchester and Swansboro.   They could add a stop at Semmes for rush hour.   At the other end, the intersection of Chippenham and Route 1 is perfect for a park and ride.  

[I miss RVA]

Wow - this is definitely a feather in RVA's cap!  Looks like Richmond is the epicenter of rail travel in the southeastern U.S. Amtrak Media is reporting in their February 28 newsletter that Richmond - Staples Mill Road - is the busiest rail station in the entire Southeast. They ranked the top five rail stations in the Southeast in 2023 and they are, in order: (Stats below the article link)

1. Richmond
2. Alexandria
3. Charlotte
4. Norfolk
5. Raleigh

Check out this quote from the article:

“Richmond is not just the capital of Virginia, it’s the epicenter of the East, connecting the Southeast and the Northeast by rail,” said DJ Stadtler, Executive Director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) which oversees the Commonwealth’s Amtrak Virginia service.

The numbers certainly bear this out (see below) - and given all we know about plans to significantly expand rail travel throughout the Commonwealth and ultimately consolidate all train service through Main Street Station within the next decade (and certainly by 2040) - this is HUGE. As we've discussed on these forums previously, particularly once Main Street Station is fully connected (meaning that bridge that crosses the James River is replaced, opening up MSS to ALL north/south traffic) Richmond will be THE HUB of rail transportation in the Commonwealth.  And -- from what this article is saying -- we will be one of the most important hubs on the East Coast because we will be THE gateway between the northeastern megalopolis and the boom cities of the Sun Belt, particularly once the Carolina-Virginia mega project is fully built out and ALL trains coming north from or going through Raleigh and Charlotte are routed through Richmond. Personally, I'm looking forward to the day when, perhaps, there will be a train heading north that will connect New Orleans with Atlanta with Charlotte (or Raleigh) with Richmond with Washington, D.C. with points north.

Wow!!

From Amtrak Media:

Virginia and North Carolina are Home to the Busiest Amtrak Stations in the Southeast - Amtrak Media

[Brent114]

It’s great, but not surprising, to see Richmond  the top .

I'm thrilled and surprised to see Norfolk in the 4th spot though. That’s a great spot  for a city that didn’t even have Amtrak service until fairly  recently.  

[Flood Zone]

1 hour ago, Brent114 said:

It’s great, but not surprising, to see Richmond  the top .

Agreed. There's so many N/S trains that pass through Staples Mill every day that it seems intuitive. It's kind of like saying the stretch of 95 between Richmond and DC is heavily trafficked. That said, it's super to be positioned in this way!

Also agreed about Norfolk.

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, Brent114 said:

It’s great, but not surprising, to see Richmond  the top .

I'm thrilled and surprised to see Norfolk in the 4th spot though. That’s a great spot  for a city that didn’t even have Amtrak service until fairly  recently.  

It'll be even better when all Amtrak traffic (with the exception of AutoTrain, which will remain on the CSX-A line and run through Staples Mill only) will be routed through Main Street Station, particularly since ALL of the planned high-frequency daily service between RVA and DC will originate/terminate at MSS. 

[I miss RVA]

Axios Richmond today has some additional information on this story regarding "Richmond the Rail Hub". An important takeaway that definitely might be overlooked (I sure as heck didn't even think about it) - is that Richmond - unlike the other cities that made the top-5 in passenger rail service -- is served by TWO major rail stations. Staples Mill Road (which according to Axios has been the busiest rail hub in the southeast since at least 2018) ranked first even though Main Street Station also saw a significant share of Amtrak ridership. (Axios also mentioned the unfortunate fact that the RVA market is the smallest on this list - Alexandria is considered "bigger" because it's part of the much-larger NOVA market).

From the Axios article:

Why it matters: Of the Southeast's five busiest stations, Richmond has the smallest population, per data from National Association of Railroad Passengers — and Richmond has two major rail stations.

An additional 128,730 riders passed through Main Street Station last year, Karina Romero with Virginia Passenger Rail Authority tells Axios.

• The region stretches from Virginia to Florida and to the west to include Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Wow... Just getting a grasp of the depth and breadth of the region served is quite breathtaking. Ditto the number of passengers served by MSS.

In short, this means that -- with more than half a million Amtrak riders (553,000) between Staples Mill and MSS combined -- RVA is a pretty damn busy rail hub! Who knew?

But wait -- there's more! (as those old cheesy Ronco commercials used to say):

As we know - and as we have discussed here for quite some time - this level of volume will only increase over the next 10 to 15 years with the vast improvements and linkages coming to Virginia's rail system (particularly the important connection between Raleigh and Richmond), and the anticipated significant increase in service -- all of which will either originate at, or pass through, Main Street Station by 2040. Let's also remember that MSS is to play a HUGE part in the establishment of east-west passenger rail service connecting Charlottesville with Hampton Roads - which will only serve to further boost the amount of passenger and rail volume in Richmond. (After all, how many MORE riders might take the train from Richmond to Charlottesville and vice versa?)

If you stop and think about it - we're still only at the tip of the iceberg right now (in 2024). Imagine how much farther this will advance by 2030... 2035... 2040...

I think the following analogy fits: much as we kvetch about how far behind the 8-ball RIC is compared to airports like CLT, BNA and RDU, it's becoming abundantly clear that the very advantages (exclusivity of location, large available catchment area, network of connections to other markets, etc.) that allow those airports to be SO uber successful are essentially the same advantages that are making Richmond THE rail hub of the Southeast (and one of the most important hubs on the entire Eastern Seaboard, as has been stated.) How much more-so will this be the case once the James River crossing is re-established, bringing every bit of passenger rail service (except for AutoTrain) through Main Street Station -- plus all of the additional service to D.C. that will originate/terminate from/at MSS!

This is VERY heady stuff, folks. 

From today's Axios Richmond:

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/03/01/staples-mill-train-station-southeast-busiest-virginia?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_richmond&stream=top

From the National Association of Railroad Passengers:

https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/2396/rvr.pdf

[I miss RVA]

Here's the Times-Dispatch's reporting on the Amtrak story. Not a lot of new information except for one interesting nugget: the article mentions that the entire state of Georgia has only five Amtrak stations total. Metro Richmond alone has FOUR -- Ettrick, Main Street Station, Staples Mill Road and Ashland. Wow...

Maybe metro RVA collectively deserves a piece of RVA/UP Silver Hardware, because at least when it comes to being the rail hub of the Southeast:  WE DA MAN!!!

From Friday's Richmond Times-Dispatch:

https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/amtrak-train-staples-mill-virginia-henrico/article_3a88b7b8-d73c-11ee-b389-07beb63b0366.html

Edited March 3 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

For those who can attend:

 

https://www.facebook.com/100064616443023/posts/pfbid02z4PCnRDDDX7joqLQBaBc9aN5JZVBctzFTo6oRowLDtjgcoMxCR4V7r8fEdPH5LYnl/?mibextid=cr9u03

Edited March 6 by eandslee

[Flood Zone]

Per Richmond Bizsense, Chesterfield is looking to issue bonds to finance construction of the first phase of the Powhite Parkway extension (to Woolridge Road).

[I miss RVA]

Now THIS is what I'm talkin' about!!

Jack Jacobs has reporting in today's RBS that GRTC is zeroing in on two sites for their downtown transit hub/transfer station - and regardless of which site would be chosen, the transit hub would be part of a larger-scale mixed-use development.

The finalists are the current transfer plaza - and the site of the public safety building. I LOVE the plan that appears to be emerging. The 10-bus-bay transit hub would be at ground-level with retail/commercial space adjacent to the transfer bays. The size of the retail/commercial space would vary depending on which site is chosen - 30K sq ft for the Public Safety building site, 10K sq ft for the current site. Above all of this would be some 500 apartments - and there is discussion of including office space and possibly a hotel as well. Something to keep in mind: 500 apartments is only slightly less than the total number of units proposed by Avery Hall in their proposed high-rises on the Manchester riverfront. So... particularly if GRTC chooses the current site (smaller footprint) - we could see buildings that might have some decent height rise above the transit hub.

Check the graphic (below) -- THIS, friends, is EXACTLY what needs to be built! Finally - thinking outside the box and swinging for the fences. This kind of robust development looks - and feels - fantastic.

Construction would not begin until after 2025.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/03/14/grtc-zeroes-in-on-two-downtown-sites-for-new-transfer-station/ 

Edited March 14 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Road projects coming to Henrico:

• Magellan Parkway – A new four-lane highway between Englewood Farms Drive and Scott Road, including a bridge over I-95. Construction is expected to begin in November. See video below.

• GreenCity Connector – This road will add nearly a mile of paved shared-use path along Athens Road and Scott Road and rebuilding the Scott Road Bridge over I-95 for pedestrian and bicycle use only. Construction is expected to begin in September.

https://henrico.us/projects/garden-city-connector-trail/

• Brook Road – This project will make changes between Villa Park Drive and Hilliard Road to improve traffic flow and provide more pedestrian accommodations. Construction is expected to begin in July 2026.

https://henrico.us/projects/brook-road-improvements/

• North Gayton Road – The project will involve construction of a new interchange at North Gayton and I-64, rebuilding the West Broad and I-64 intersection in Short Pump, and improving I-295 between I-64 and Nuckols Road. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

• Woodman Road – The project will widen Woodman to a four-lane divided roadway with a shared-use path and sidewalk between Hungary Road and Mountain Road. Construction is expected to begin in May 2028.

https://henrico.us/projects/woodman-road-improvements/

https://www.henricocitizen.com/articles/henrico-obtains-69m-for-5-major-road-projects/

 

Edited March 27 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

37 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Road projects coming to Henrico:

• Magellan Parkway – A new four-lane highway between Englewood Farms Drive and Scott Road, including a bridge over I-95. Construction is expected to begin in November. See video below.

• GreenCity Connector – This road will add nearly a mile of paved shared-use path along Athens Road and Scott Road and rebuilding the Scott Road Bridge over I-95 for pedestrian and bicycle use only. Construction is expected to begin in September.

https://henrico.us/projects/garden-city-connector-trail/

• Brook Road – This project will make changes between Villa Park Drive and Hilliard Road to improve traffic flow and provide more pedestrian accommodations. Construction is expected to begin in July 2026.

https://henrico.us/projects/brook-road-improvements/

• North Gayton Road – The project will involve construction of a new interchange at North Gayton and I-64, rebuilding the West Broad and I-64 intersection in Short Pump, and improving I-295 between I-64 and Nuckols Road. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

• Woodman Road – The project will widen Woodman to a four-lane divided roadway with a shared-use path and sidewalk between Hungary Road and Mountain Road. Construction is expected to begin in May 2028.

https://henrico.us/projects/woodman-road-improvements/

https://www.henricocitizen.com/articles/henrico-obtains-69m-for-5-major-road-projects/

 

SWEEEEEEEEEEET!!! REALLY cool video and lots of sizeable projects that certainly look like they're going to be cranking along at more-or-less the same general timeframe over the span of the rest of the decade. Pretty heady stuff.

[eandslee]

Not exactly sure how $750K helps do this, but a grant awarded to GRTC and Richmond will help plan for TOD zoning on Chamberlayne Ave as part of the N-S Pulse route. Read more here:

https://ridegrtc.com/news-initiatives/press-releases/grtc-and-city-of-richmond-awarded-750000-for-north-south-pulse-transit-orie

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

Not exactly sure how $750K helps do this, but a grant awarded to GRTC and Richmond will help plan for TOD zoning on Chamberlayne Ave as part of the N-S Pulse route. Read more here:

https://ridegrtc.com/news-initiatives/press-releases/grtc-and-city-of-richmond-awarded-750000-for-north-south-pulse-transit-orie

Okay!! Certainly good news. I'd be curious to know the following:

1.) Where specifically on Chamberlayne Avenue? The entirety from Azalea Avenue south to wherever the possible PULSE route might go?

2.) How will this money be used? Will GRTC specifically use it? Will the city use it? 

3.) What's the zoning along the potential corridor? Do these funds come with any kind of strings attached, such as the city must rezone/up-zone to TOD-1 all along the corridor?

Thrilled that the funds have been awarded. Three-quarters-of-a mil ain't nothing to sneeze at, folks. I'd just like to know more specifics.

@RVABizSenseMike - has your office heard anything or gotten a feel for specifics regarding this grant?