FAQs

Richmond’s Equity Agenda defines equity as “the empowerment of communities that have experienced past injustices by removing barriers to access and opportunity.”

The Richmond 300 Master Plan describes a vision of equitable transportation as “Richmond prioritizes the movement of people over the movement of vehicles through a safe, reliable, equitable, and sustainable transportation network.”

Equity understands that not everyone is situated in the same way. Equity recognizes that the same solution doesn’t provide the same benefits to everyone. For example, you wouldn’t give an adult-size bicycle to a toddler and expect this to solve their transportation need. We need to tailor the solutions to the different users of transportation. Everyone is not situated in the same place economically and socially.

This means that to make transportation equitable, the City’s investments will be focused on improving access to opportunities and reducing barriers, especially for people and neighborhoods that have experienced past injustices, and those who are most vulnerable.

The City of Richmond is committed to achieving equity and justice in access to resources and opportunities. City Council adopted The City of Richmond’s Equity Agenda in 2021 which establishes many initiatives and actions the City has pledged to support to promote equity and justice.  The Richmond Connects plan’s focus on equity is one of many necessary pieces to work towards the City’s equity goals. 

The vision for equitable transportation in Richmond 300 Master Plan, which was developed by thousands of Richmonders, says “Richmond prioritize the movement of people over the movement of vehicles through a safe, reliable, equitable, and sustainable transportation network.” This is also the guiding vision for Richmond Connects.

Our planning process is largely focused on walking, biking, transit, and shared mobility solutions. Safety is a priority. We understand that people do get in their cars and drive, and that driving will be a mode many people will continue to choose. Right now, walking, bicycling, and riding the bus are not nearly as safe or reliable as driving a car, and not everyone can afford to get around by driving their own car.  Richmond Connects is focused on making other modes safe and reliable so that no matter how you get around, you can get where you need to go. 

The Department of Public Works maintains an inventory of sidewalk and road pavement conditions across the City through its asset management program. You can report a maintenance need, such as a broken sidewalk or pothole at RVA311.com.  This is the City’s primary intake for citizens to submit non-emergency service requests; requests for repairs and maintenance upgrades are placed into a queue for more immediate activation, and they are addressed as resources allow. 

Pedestrian safety is a priority for Richmond Connects, and sidewalk condition is one of several things we are looking at to identify what needs to be improved. Many Richmonders already have let us know where sidewalk improvements are needed in their neighborhoods, and we have noted these areas in our planning process, which will identify specific improvements the City will seek funding for over the next 5 to 10 years.

The first phase of Richmond Connects is identifying which areas need improvements the most, including transit improvements. We have identified many areas, especially in Southside, where it is difficult to get around by transit.

Addressing these needs will be the focus of the next phase.  Recommendations to address transit needs will be developed, and may include ride sharing and van sharing in less densely populated areas. Fixed route transit is not appropriate in every neighborhood and OETM is working to identify non-traditional transit services that can provide access to those transit dependent communities that currently lack transit access.

The recommendations in this report will be vetted with GRTC, and GRTC’s Board of Directors will make the final decision on what transit improvements get implemented.

We invite the public to review our needs data and stay involved with this process by signing up for email and text messaging. We will communicate with you when the recommendations are ready for public input and review.

Improving shelter at bus stops was raised as a key need in our outreach, and we have noted these concerns. Bus stops without shelters was also one of the things we looked at in identifying what needs to be fixed. 

GRTC has a plan to install shelters and benches at hundreds of bus stops in Richmond, Chesterfield County, and Henrico County over the next five years.  GRTC’s Board of Directors adopted the Essential Transit Infrastructure Plan in September 2022. 

Richmond Connects will complement GRTC’s efforts, and recommendations will be vetted with GRTC.  The needs analysis will identify the areas with the highest need for improvements, and recommendations will be developed for the highest need areas.  GRTC’s Board of Directors will make the final decision on what transit improvements get implemented.

We encourage you to stay informed and involved with this exciting equity-focused transportation plan! Sign up to get text messages where you can also view what others have said needs to be fixed. 

Seniors and people with limited mobility are among the prioritized communities of concern for Richmond Connects. In the needs analysis, we’ve identified neighborhoods where seniors and people with limited mobility live, and this helps us identify where transportation improvements may be needed most.

We’ll be developing recommendations to help our seniors access transit and get around safely. Recommendations could include transit improvements as well as programmatic improvements and micro-transit solutions such as a shared van service to pick up seniors and limited mobility residents, who have difficulty accessing our typical transportation network, for transport to a bus or Pulse stop.

For information on current transit programs for seniors and those with mobility needs, please visit GRTC CARE Service | GRTC (ridegrtc.com).

We want to hear from areas that are underserved, and we encourage anyone to contact us to share feedback on transportation improvement needs for neighborhoods, streets and intersections.

People with limited mobility are among the prioritized communities of concern for Richmond Connects. In the needs analysis, we’ve identified neighborhoods where people with limited mobility live (including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This will help us to identify where access to specialized transportation may be needed most.

We want to hear from areas that are underserved, and we encourage anyone to contact us to share feedback on transportation improvement needs for neighborhoods, streets and intersections.

For information on current transit programs for seniors and those with mobility needs, please visit GRTC CARE Service | GRTC (ridegrtc.com).

Many low income residents lack access to a personal vehicle, and this is a significant barrier to accessing opportunities, especially for trips where walking, bicycling, or riding the bus are not viable.

In Fall 2022, the City’s Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility kicked off a “Free Rides to Work” program that provides free van rides for TANF-eligible individuals from public housing and low-income neighborhoods to employment centers and education institutions. This program is one way the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility is working to remove transportation-related barriers and address transportation inequities.  This program quickly met its capacity and the office is continuing to pursue funding from multiple sources to expand this service for all those who face barriers to accessing opportunity in the City.

Short-term car rental and subsidized car-sharing programs are other potential solutions that would make it financially easier for low-income residents to have access to car transportation. 

The City is looking into the possibility of using funds collected by the Central Virginia Transportation Authority to encourage this type of shared mobility, as it already manages bike shares, scooter shares and other shared mobility. Programs like these may be included as programmatic recommendation in the Richmond Connects plan, so stay tuned!

Light Rail and Heavy Rail transit is beyond the timeline of the Richmond Connects Action Plan, which is identifying priority recommendations for the City to pursue funding for in the next five to 10 years. However, bus rapid transit (BRT) is a form of high capacity, high frequency transit, and expanding the current GRTC Pulse service could be more realistic in the timeframe we’re talking about. Currently, the Pulse doesn’t serve the Southside, but the City is working with GRTC to identify a potential north-south alignment for BRT.

Richmond Connects is still in the needs assessment phase, and better transit service in Southside has been identified. In the final Richmond Connects plan, we will include recommendations and solutions for expanded and more frequent transit options. Our recommendations will be based on public input received and data to identify the neighborhoods and areas of the City that most need improved bus transit to improve access to opportunities.

In 2014, the City of Richmond adopted a Complete Streets policy to make Richmond a bicycle and pedestrian friendly city. Complete Streets are streets designed and operated to safely accommodate street users of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit passengers, and motorists.

In 2018, the City developed the Better Streets Manual, providing guidance for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining complete streets throughout Richmond.  This manual includes policies, geometric design guidelines, and construction information to ensure that Richmond’s streets are designed to work for all users. 

All projects in the Richmond Connects plan will be designed in accordance with the Better Streets Manual. 

Pedestrian safety is a top priority for the City, and this is a key area of focus in Richmond Connects. Through the data-driven needs analysis, we are identifying areas with pedestrian safety issues in several ways, including crash data, traffic volumes and speeds, and where sidewalks are lacking.  We are also listening to residents about where pedestrian safety issues exist.  Recommendations will include projects improve pedestrian safety in the highest need areas. 

Many people have commented that it feels unsafe to cross the street for various reasons, including speeding, drivers not yielding to pedestrians, poor lighting, and lack of crosswalks.

Through the needs analysis and public input, we are identifying where improvements are most needed, especially along high-traffic streets and streets where pedestrians have been hit.

Recommendations will include improvements to make it safer, and they will be consistent with the City’s adopted Complete Streets policy and Better Streets Manual.

Creating safe paths for getting around on a bicycle is a priority for Richmond Connects, as well as improvements for walking and riding the bus.

The recommendations in Richmond Connects will build off of prior planning efforts, including the Richmond 300 Master Plan, the 2045 Richmond Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan, and the Richmond Bicycle Master Plan, all of which have recommendations for bicycle lanes as part of a larger connected network for getting around by bike.    

We currently are identifying bicycle needs and compiling recommendations from other plans, which will inform the recommendations.  You can view the Richmond Connects draft Needs Maps, which include bicycle needs, as well as needs for other modes and other investment categories.  

We encourage anyone who wants to have a voice in the future locations of bike lanes, or improvements to existing bike lanes, to sign up for our text messaging or email. 

 The City of Richmond is committed to improving safety for all modes.  In 2016, City Council committed to reducing traffic-related fatalities on City streets to zero by 2030.  The City prepared its Vision Zero Action Plan, which outlines strategies and actions to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries.  These include safety initiatives carried out by the Mayor’s office, actions to modify and introduce laws, policies, and budget resources, and actions for everyone in Richmond to make positive changes in safety culture. 

Richmond Connects is building off of the City’s Vision Zero efforts.  Recommendations in the Richmond Connects plan will include programmatic and educational solutions, including awareness campaigns, as well as hard infrastructure improvements to improve safety for all modes in the highest need areas.

Roundabouts have been demonstrated to be safer for motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists than stop- and signal-controlled intersections. Roundabouts can reduce fatal crashes by up to 90 percent and injury crashes by up to 75 percent. They have fewer conflict points and slow traffic. 

The Richmond Connects plan will include programmatic and educational recommendations in addition to hard infrastructure projects.  Recommendations could include educational campaigns on how to navigate roundabouts safely and properly.

Note: Sources for this answer include:

• https://www.rva.gov/public-works/roundabouts
• NCHRP Report 672: Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, 2^nd Edition (2010)
• https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2022-06/fhwasa15016.pdf