Plus, UR basketball watch party + flag football kickoff
 
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🚙 Ten years of transportation, planned
RICtoday_BikeLane_FranklinStreet
Extending the protected bike lanes on Franklin Street is one of the Priority Completion Projects in Richmond Connects. | Photo by RICtoday
At a Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Committee meeting on Tuesday, local proponents spoke in favor of the Richmond Connects transportation plan.

Speakers shared their hopes for the plan and its priorities — from major projects like the Fall Line Trail to improving safety for kids walking to Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. The multimodal plan aims to guide city decisions and funding for transportation projects for the next ten years and beyond.

Richmond Connects is divided into two parts — the Action Plan and the Strategic Plan. The Action Plan includes the aspects of transportation that Richmonders identified as the most in need of improvement.

Once projects and strategies from the Action Plan are completed, additional elements from the umbrella Strategic Plan can be put in place.

A person stands inside an empty GRTC bus.

Richmond Connects includes all kinds of transportation, including public transit.

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Photo by RICtoday

After more than two years of work, the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility released the first draft in Nov. 2023.

At the commitee meeting, RVA Rapid Transit Executive Director Faith Walker praised the public outreach efforts of Richmond Connects. The team conducted several surveys, telephone town halls, focus groups, and community meetings in higher-need neighborhoods throughout the process.

Explore the map of priority and near-term projects to see what improvements could be coming to your neighborhood.

RICtoday_RichmondConnects_Map_Transportation

The interactive map lets you click on specific projects to learn exactly what improvements are proposed.

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Map via Richmond Connects

High priority projects include:
  • Safety improvements on Laburnum Avenue, Chamberlayne Avenue, Brook Road, North Avenue, Westbrook Avenue, and Forest Hill Avenue
  • Street lighting in Church Hill
  • GRTC projects including extending the Pulse east, adding a North-South BRT line, and adding shelters, seating, and trash cans at bus stops
  • Traffic calming measures on Fairfield Avenue, Williamsburg Road, Semmes Avenue, Cowardin Avenue, and Fairmount Avenue
  • Reconnecting Jackson Ward
The public engagement doesn’t end here. City Council is scheduled to vote on the plan at its Monday, March 25 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. You can attend and provide public comment virtually or in-person.
 
 
Events
 
Thursday, March 21
  • Ceramics Market | Thursday, March 21 | 5-8 p.m. | The Veil Brewing Co., 4910 Forest Hill Ave., Richmond | Free entry | Shop the Good Habit Pottery Company pop-up and grab dinner from Y Tu Mamá.
  • Sam Reed Sings | Thursday, March 21 | 8 p.m. | Gallery5, 200 W. Marshall St., Richmond | $15-$25 | Join the local singer for a night of original tunes.
Friday, March 22
  • Waterparks | Friday, March 22 | 7 p.m. | The National, 708 E. Broad St., Richmond | $39 | The vibrant Houston rock group will play with Loveless and Sophie Powers.
  • Surfer Girl | Friday, March 22 | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | Ember Music Hall, 309 E. Broad St., Richmond | $20-$30 | Get ready for a genre-bending, pop-leaning beach party with this three-piece.
Saturday, March 23
  • “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” | Saturday, March 23 | 10 a.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $5 | See some classic Disney on the big screen.
  • 22nd Annual Dog Jog, 5K and Block Party | Saturday, March 23 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Richmond SPCA, 2519 Hermitage Rd., Richmond | $0-$35 | Party with live music, drinks, pet-friendly crafts, and local retailers in support of Richmond SPCA.
Sunday, March 24
  • Small Business Sunday Market | Sunday, March 24 | 2-6 p.m. | Main Line Brewery, 1603 Ownby Ln., Richmond | Free entry | Shop from dozens of local makers at this dog-friendly market.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
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Shop savings through Monday, March 25. | Graphic by 6AM City
It’s Amazon’s first ever Big Spring Sale. Shop some of the best discounts we’ve seen:
 
News Notes
 
Development
  • VCU is eyeing 700 W. Grace St. for a new dormitory that could house up to 1,250 students. The site is currently home to the Facilities and Financial Services Building, which would be demolished. The Board of Visitors will need to approve the project. (Richmond BizSense)
Sports
  • UR plays their first game of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament tomorrow afternoon. Cheer on the Spiders against Duke at an official watch party inside Spider Hall. Doors open at 2 p.m.
Biz
  • Georgia-based Tucker Door & Trim is branching out to a new facility in eastern Henrico. The door and window supplier hopes to serve more northeastern markets with the move. It plans to hire 50 people and open by Monday, April 1. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Environment
  • Keep Virginia Beautiful just kicked off this year’s Great Virginia Greenup, a statewide community beautification effort. Check out the calendar of nearby workdays, plantings, and litter pickup events — or access resources to organize one of your own. The campaign continues through June 20.
Kids
  • If your child is interested in playing flag football, head to the NFL Flag Football Kickoff Jamboree this Saturday, March 23 at 12 p.m. at the Leigh Street Training Center. Registration will be available on site, plus food trucks, music, and a staff flag football game.
Film
  • The James River Film Festival returns for its 30th year April 11-14 and 20. Screenings will take place at the Byrd, VMFA, and Grace Street Theater. Tickets are on sale now for paid events.
Learn
  • Meet The Daily Upside, a free business newsletter that offers sharp analysis of the latest finance, economics, and market news. Navigate the complexities of inflation, rate hikes, and more without clickbait headlines. Join 1+ million subscribers when you sign up for free.*
Home
  • It’s time for beautiful, energy-efficient windows in your home. Save on new windows in Renewal by Andersen®’s spring savings event — happening for a limited time only.*
 
 
Outdoors
 
🌿 Do you know your invasive plants?
RICtoday_JamesRiver_Outdoors
The James River Park System covers 600 acres on the north and south sides of the river. | Photo by @maurv2
The James River Park System wants your help tackling invasive species in the park. The JRPS Invasive Plant Task Force has released a survey to gather demographic information and test the waters of how much Richmonders know about native plants.

The task force is also hosting a series of free workshops this month. Sign up to learn about native plants, park stewardship, and the importance of healthy biodiversity.

Here is the schedule:

Saturday, March 23
  • 10 a.m. | Stone House, Forest Hill Park
  • 2 p.m. | Round House, Byrd Park
Saturday, March 30
  • 10 a.m. | Westover Hills Library
  • 2 p.m. | Belmont Library
Want to brush up on the basics? Click the button below.
 
The Buy
 
These No. 1 best-selling women’s running shorts, because spring is officially here and that means more workouts outside (yay). Under Armour’s shorts have a built-in brief and are lightweight and breathable, thanks to sweat-wicking material.
 
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The Wrap
 
Robin Schwartzkopf in a red button down shirt Today’s edition by:
Robin
From the editor
I’ve been covering Richmond Connects for over a year, so it’s cool to see the final Action Plan go before City Council. If you want to stay even more informed, you can sign up for emails from the planning team.
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