TAKE ACTION

Two transit-oriented reminders for you today:

1. On May 30th, the Partnership for Smarter Growth will host a forum on the Pulse, transit-oriented development on Broad Street, and the exciting changes to the existing bus network. The evening will begin with a walking tour of one of the new Pulse stations followed by a panel featuring Carrie Rose Pace from GRTC and Mark Olinger, the City’s Director of Planning and Development Review. You can (and should) RSVP for the free event here.
2. GRTC still needs volunteers to help remove the temporary bus stop sign covers in preparation for the network switchover. Do your part and sign up for a shift. They’ve got 1,600 bus stops and 1,100 of those will need covers removed, so they definitely need your help!

Oh, also, you should watch this Back to the Future inspired commercial for the Pulse.

AROUND THE REGION

A couple of months ago, Chesterfield County, in partnership with Goodwill and Uber, launched an on-demand transportation pilot program targeted towards Chesterfield residents receiving treatment for opioid addiction. Vanessa Remmers at the RTD has an update on that program. In April the program served 11 people and provided 120 rides at the cost of $2,244. That’s $18.70 per ride, which is more than what it costs GRTC per trip for its demand response service ($17.89) and four times more than what it costs GRTC for each fixed-route bus trip ($4.34). You can find those numbers in this agency profile from the National Transit Database (PDF). This pilot program undoubtably serves a need for a small number of Chesterfield residents, but the County could serve far more people with far better service by offering fixed-route buses along its major corridors.

As we get closer and closer to the Pulse opening, we’re seeing more and more transit-oriented development along the Pulse corridor. Richmond BizSense says a mixed use building at 10 W. Broad Street, which is adjacent to the Arts District stop, has sold for $2 million. Of the move, the developer says, “With the bus rapid transit line, and more businesses moving back along West Broad Street, we see a lot of promise in the area for more growth.”

Have you forgotten all of the fun new transit things we get when the Pulse and new network open on June 24th? It’s a long list, so that’s understandable. Luckily, Sarah King at Richmond Magazine will remind you!

ELSEWHERE

The Times-Picayune, has a series “examining what happened to the economic promise in New Orleans in the years after Hurricane Katrina,” and one part of that series looks at their (lack of) regional transportation network. Read this and you’ll see a lot of the same issues facing Richmond as we work towards building our regional transit network.

If you'd like to support RVA Rapid Transit's work to bring a truly regional transit system to Richmond, consider making a tax-deductible donation.

—Ross Catrow