RVA Rapid Transit is thankful for the Mayor’s centering of public transit in such a landmark project and looks forward to future collaboration on how best to integrate transit into our city. Nevertheless, we have serious concerns regarding the public transportation components of the North of Broad project—specifically the proposed location and design of the GRTC Transit Center. RVA Rapid Transit believes that the transit-related investments in the North of Broad proposal can be made in a more efficient and effective manner.
We believe in building high-quality public transportation into the fabric of every major city development. The Mayor’s proposed North of Broad project sets an important precedent in centering public transportation as one of its core and required components. We commend and recognize this commitment. That said, investments in transit should meet the needs of our current and future transportation system with an emphasis on improving the experience of riders and promoting equitable transit access.
We applaud the Mayor’s dedication to public transportation and believe GRTC’s bold implementation of the Pulse and simultaneous redesign of the bus network serves as a model for the nation. However, the proposed location and design of the North of Broad project’s Transit Center does not align with the incredible progress Richmond has made in public transportation over the last several years. Specifically:
In 2018, Richmond redesigned its old hub-and-spoke bus network to a more modern, grid-like system that does not require a central transfer point. Before the network redesign, almost every bus route ended up at the Transfer Plaza. Today, very few routes do. A large, centralized location to make transfers is no longer needed.
Additionally, the proposed Transit Center is too far from the nearest Pulse station, requiring a two- to three-block walk to make transfers to local bus service. For those with mobility impairments—or any who are walking in extreme heat, cold, or precipitation—this distance is a deterrent to using transit. Any future Transit Center must be adjacent to a Pulse Station.
The proposed 12-bay Transit Center is larger than the existing 10-bay Transfer Plaza. The size and scale of this investment does not align with GRTC’s new streamlined bus network where fewer routes require a centralized transfer point. As such, a large capital investment in a Transit Center may be less valuable to increasing ridership and improving rider experience. A similar capital investment—one that would align with Richmond’s new bus network—could be made by building a handful of smaller transfer stations at critical points throughout the city.
To be clear, the existing Transfer Plaza is unacceptable, leaving riders to wait for their bus in the heat, cold, rain, or snow. While the proposed Transit Center addresses that particular problem, it creates other problems that will continue to impact bus riders far into the future. We believe a better investment exists—one that provides a humane space for bus riders to wait and makes transfers to the rest of the bus network easy and efficient. In fact, possible options within the North of Broad project area include creating a transit mall on Marshall between 3rd and 5th or using the “N Block” on the south side of Broad Street between 4th and 5th Streets.
We encourage the Mayor, GRTC, and the NH District team to find a better location for the proposed GRTC Transit Center that will continue to build on the exceptional transit momentum in the Richmond region and best serve riders. RVA Rapid Transit appreciates the opportunity to contribute to these important discussions, and should the Mayor or his staff have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@rvarapidtransit.org.