There are SO many things we welcome and need public feedback on now and through the next phase of design (60% is more detailed than the current conceptual 30%). The next phase of design is August 2015 - April 2016. The list below is a selection of some of the items on which you could leave your fingerprint for the GRTC Pulse.
The big ones are:
- Where can left turns at signals work well for the surrounding locations (businesses, museums, schools, neighborhoods, etc)
- Where can new signals be located
- Where can new/improved pedestrian crossings be added (as for north-south, I think the project team is proposing to add eight new ADA crosswalks across Broad Street for improved pedestrian safety).
- What type of pedestrian safety technology could/should be used? (Eg, HAWK or Rapid Flashing)
- On a block-by-block basis, where is the best placement of loading zones (the City of Richmond is heavily involved in that particular process because they were working on a City loading zone plan, if I understand correctly)
- Where are on-Broad Street parking spaces essential, used and best between 195 and 4th (the public input on this has been hugely helpful to the engineers, as I understand it, in determining how to best do this for the businesses and neighborhoods)
- What types of pedestrian medians could be incorporated. Eg, Nose
Construction continues to be a topic on which we get a lot of questions. At 30% design, we aren’t at the detailed day-by-day breakdown yet, but the CMAR will be able to provide that. We are in the middle of the RFP for a CMAR. The CMAR’s job will be responsible for communicating one-on-one well ahead of any construction beginning at a specific site, then communicating in the weeks leading up to the start of construction on how traffic, parking and pedestrian access will be managed and include access to businesses, residences, etc. They will also be in charge of communicating each week during construction what they are doing. Remember, the weather can impact construction day-to-day.
We also plan to have a daily meeting with the CMAR so we know what they’re doing, too. We intend to post their daily/weekly report on this Blog, and ensure it is communicated through as many social and broadcast outlets as we can reach. The CMAR is also usually responsible for supplying a 24/7 on-call number to everyone. At the July Public Meetings, the project team will have images and footprints showing what the construction could look like.
Meanwhile, we are also brainstorming ideas for how to encourage people to go to the destinations along the corridor (think of the example set by First Fridays in the RVA Arts District). A "Pulse Point," if you will (still working on the idea here, folks). This could include after work Happy Hours at station locations under construction, where people can enjoy the restaurants, bars, shops, etc. For businesses that operate more in the morning and day-side, this could look like breakfast business updates. There are lots of ways to keep people informed and engaged with the locations along the corridor, and encourage other people to check out niches they may have missed before. If you have an idea, share it with us!
With all the great, specific feedback coming in, it is important to note that there will continue to be changes made to the proposed design based on that public feedback and project partner review. For example, the parking preservation was a big change from January to April, and smaller adjustments continue to be made based on continued public and partner feedback. The design will responsively adjust. Therefore, as changes are made to meet public and partner review, there will be modifications to the plan you see today. We think this is a great thing! It means that many of the details of the project are malleable, where many fingerprints can leave an overall positive impression.
We have already received specific feedback regarding left turn intersections, for example, from Councilman Baliles on behalf of his constituents’ feedback, the Museum District and the Fan District Association. The engineers have taken all those requests and are responding to them like they did the parking feedback. They have a traffic computer model, too, that can simulate existing conditions, and then the conditions once BRT is operational. We saw a preview of it this week, and we should have a video clip to post on the blog soon! The model simulation confirms that the BRT system is designed to meet or improve existing traffic conditions along the corridor.
The proposed bus operating hours are also something we welcome public input on, especially with the growing brewery and late-night restaurant/bar scene in Richmond and Henrico County. Scott’s Addition alone is experiencing a renaissance. We think GRTC Pulse will be a great traveling choice for people who want to drink but travel safely (instead of driving after drinking).
Another July Public Meeting topic will be the first report on local fixed route service interfacing with the new BRT spine. There have been meetings with broader Church Hill on their service needs and requests, as well as connectivity to the GRTC Pulse. Conversations with Fulton are also being pursued to address their existing service and future connectivity to the GRTC Pulse. Population and job growth demographics highlight VCU, Downtown, The Fan, Scott’s Addition, Fulton and the East End (Route 5/Rocketts) as hubs over the next 20 years of big density increase. That’s especially great for revitalization and servicing the people who live within a half-mile or so of the GRTC Pulse line. But we know this system is for everyone in the area, not just those within close range.
So go ahead - put your finger on the Pulse! Ashley Mason and I are both checking the brt@ridegrtc.com email daily, so that is a great place for you to submit feedback and specific ideas. Snail mail is also an option, using the form here.
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