TAKE ACTION

Huge transit news this week, y'all! The Chesterfield Observer reports that Supervisor Jim Holland will propose adding a new bus route down Jeff Davis Highway from the city limits to Route 10.

For a while now, we've asked Chesterfield to provide hourly fixed-route service, seven days a week, from the City limits to John Tyler—and this proposal is almost exactly that! Connecting this part of Chesterfield county to the basics of life—employment, job training, healthy food, medical services—is critical and the right thing to do.

But, as you can tell from some of the quotes in the Observer piece, not everyone is stoked, and there's a lot of hard work ahead of us to help Supervisor Holland shepherd this plan through the Board of Supervisors. But, for now, I think sending Holland a kind email in support of his plan would be an excellent first step: hollandj@chesterfield.gov.

AROUND THE REGION

Are you concerned about the president's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement? Wondering what we can do locally in response?

From Business Insider: "If mayors and governors want Americans to emit less carbon, they should allow homes to be developed densely near people's workplaces, and they should provide transit options that are attractive compared to driving."
The top two things cities can do, from CityLab: "#1. Build housing, #2. Create transit options people like."

Hey! This is exactly the kind of work RVA Rapid Transit is dedicated to and you can support that work directly with a tax-deductible donation. Together, we can keep pushing for a truly regional transit system!

P.S. Mayor Levar Stoney has committed to adopt the Paris Agreements goals in Richmond.

ELSEWHERE

For the next couple of weeks, this section of our wonderful weekly email will be provided by our new intern Zac. He'll be helping us with some research, planning, and writing—including, among other things, this!

For most of us, a trip to the grocery store is about as routine as it gets. For senior citizens in a Las Vegas suburb, however, it is a dangerous proposition as there is a lack of both transit options and crosswalks. Walkability and transit options go hand-in-hand in providing people with safer options to go about their daily lives.

Pittsburgh has switched to a cash-free transit fare system. For most, this seems like a more convenient way of paying, but for undocumented immigrants it presents a potentially life-altering obstacle. Without identification they cannot buy into the program, and if stopped by transit police they face the possibility of deportation.

Stockton, California is adding 10 electric buses to its BRT fleet this year and another five the next. They will be among the first in the nation with a BRT route that’s entirely electric. It's set to open in August.

The Philippines is urbanizing faster than almost any other country in East Asia, and in order for its cities to meet the changing needs of its people the World Bank has recommended affordable transit options, including a BRT system. The number of Filipinos living in urban areas is expected to double and having an inclusive way for people to move from city to city will make the country more productive and cities more sustainable.

When the Houston Housing Authority proposed mixed-income housing next to an upscale shopping center and neighborhood, NIMBY activists made clear that it was not welcome. They used coded language to express concerns that it would lower property values, overcrowd the schools, and bring crime. This wariness towards mixing low- and high- income communities is not limited to Houston. Throughout America, cities are designed to keep low-income housing away from affluent neighborhoods, high paying jobs, and quality transit options that provide critical access. To build diverse, inclusive communities that serve all citizens policymakers must listen to all voices, not merely the ones they’re most comfortable with.

If you'd like to support RVA Rapid Transit's work to bring a truly regional transit system to Richmond, consider picking up an awesome transit map T-shirt or making a tax-deductible donation.

—Ross Catrow