April 19, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

71º | 16% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:28 a.m. | Sunset 7:49 p.m.

🚌 GRTC is on a roll

It’s been free to ride GRTC, including the Pulse, for four years. | Photo by GRTC

Funding set aside by the Commonwealth Transportation Board will bring Richmonders another year of fare-free GRTC rides. The CTB’s Six Year Improvement Plan for fiscal year 2025 includes about $3.6 million for the program.

GRTC suspended its fares on March 19, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It adopted the policy as a social distancing measure to prevent riders from having to huddle at fare boxes. The program costs around $6.8 million annually.

The initial decision to stop charging riders was made possible by an $8 million Transit Ridership Incentive Program grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. That money was matched by the city and VCU.

A GRTC bus pulled up to a bus stop at the new Downtown Transfer Station. A sign reads "Bay A." — GRTC suspended all fares in March 2020 as a social distancing measure.
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Photo by RICtoday

In December 2022, after nearly two years without charging riders, GRTC reported a 15% overall uptick in ridership. Its board voted unanimously to continue the program through June 2024.

Until recently, the question of whether funding could be secured to further suspend fares remained unanswered. CTB’s contribution, however, will complete a pool of funding from various sources.

VCU contributes $1.2 million a year towards the program. Resources left over from 2020’s initial funding also continues to keep things rolling.

Fare-free bus rides aren’t the only thing CTB’s Six Year Plan allocates money for. There’s also $3.5 million for GRTC’s extension to Virginia Center Commons, almost $14 million for new buses, and $3 million for general infrastructure needs.

Want to share your thoughts on the Commonwealth Transportation Board’s plan, or on the future of a fare-free GRTC? CTB is collecting public comment until Monday, May 20.

Asked

How often do you take GRTC transportation?

A. Every day
B. At least once a week
C. Not often
D. Never

All aboard!

Events

Friday, April 19

Illiterate Light | Friday, April 19 | 7 p.m. | The Broadberry, 2729 W. Broad St., Richmond | $17 | The rock duo will play with local act Celler Dwellers.
“Pineapple Express” | Friday, April 19 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $9 | See the 2008 stoner flick on the big screen.

Saturday, April 20

PopUp RVA | Saturday, April 20-Saturday, Oct. 26 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Diamond, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond | Free entry | Pets are welcome at this rain-or-shine market with 50+ vendors, live music, food, and drinks each week.
Pollinator Festival | Saturday, April 20 | 1-6 p.m. | Center of the Universe Brewing, 11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland | Free entry | Immerse yourself in nature with beekeeping demonstrations, a seed and plant sale, interactive exhibits, and flower-infused brews.
Grateful Dead by Ben Butterworth | Saturday, April 20 | 8-11 p.m. | Harry’s at Hofheimer, 2818 W. Broad St., Richmond | $10 | Ring in 4/20 with a groovy evening of covers.

Sunday, April 21

Earth Day Clean Up | Sunday, April 21 | 8-10 a.m. | Reedy Creek, 4101 Hillcrest Rd., Richmond | Free | Join Keep Virginia Cozy, Keep Nature Wild, and Hoka for a zero-waste clean up.
Spring Market | Sunday, April 21 | 12-5 p.m. | Pizza Bones, 2314 Jefferson Ave., Richmond | Free entry | Shop handmade jewelry, flowers, ceramics, photos, candles, pasta, wine, and more at this Union Hill pop-up.

Monday, April 22

Chamber Ensembles | Monday, April 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Modlin Center for the Arts Camp Concert Hall, 453 Westhampton Way, Richmond | Free | Enjoy an evening of music by student instrumentalists, vocalists, and pianists.

Tuesday, April 23

Flying Squirrels vs. Bowie Baysox | Tuesday, April 23 | 11:05 a.m. | The Diamond, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond | $10-$25 | Education Day at the Diamond means kids of all ages can enjoy a day of learning, fun, and baseball.

Events calendar here

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Festival

Road trip: Spoleto Festival USA is back May 22-June 9 in downtown Charleston

Musician Jason Isbell looks at the camera, wearing a black striped jacket in front of a dark background

This year’s Spoleto Festival has a stacked lineup, including Jason Isbell (above), Yo-Yo Ma, Old Crow Medicine Show, and more. | Photo provided by Spoleto Festival USA

Picture this: 100+ live performances over 17 days spanning dance, theatre, opera, classical music, jazz, and concerts, all taking place in atmospheric and historic venues in beautiful downtown Charleston.

A life-changing experience for every arts-lover, this year’s Spoleto Festival USA will feature world-renowned talent from Yo-Yo Ma and LA Dance Project to Old Crow Medicine Show and Jason Isbell.

Mark your calendars — it’s all happening May 22-June 9.

See the full schedule + snag tickets

News Notes

Coming Soon

The Good Feet Store is coming to Midlothian. The new location at Stonehenge Villyage Shopping Center will be the chain’s second in the Richmond area, joining its foothold in Short Pump. (Richmond BizSense)

History

A new historical marker for the Emancipated Community at Chimborazo Hill will be unveiled tomorrow at Chimborazo Park. Head to 3215 E. Broad St. for the ceremony, which will run from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

State

The General Assembly and Gov. Glenn Youngkin have agreed to extend and restart the budget negotiation process. This could circumvent a gubernatorial veto and gives leaders more time to make adjustments after Youngkin provided 242 amendments. (VPM)

Read

RPL’s Young Adult Virginia Author Award ceremony will be held at the Main Branch from 12 to 4 p.m. tomorrow. The free event aims to highlight exceptional writing for middle and high schoolers — registration is encouraged.

Job

Got a green thumb? Local native plant nursery Moulton Hot Natives is hiring a nursery assistant. Aspiring pro-growers should send a resume and a bio to the nursery via email.

Drink

Local coffee up-and-comer Paix now serves B-Side Bakery pastries out of its Cleveland Street cafe. After running a mobile coffee cart that served fresh brews around the city, Paix put down roots with a permanent cafe and roastery on September 1 of last year.

Talk

Ever wondered how ice cream is made? Visit the Science Museum of Virginia on Tuesday, April 23, at 8 a.m. for Sunrise Science to get the inside scoop into the intricate chemistry behind ice cream. Learn more + register.*

Wellness

Cornbread Hemp’s CBD Sleep Gummies are available in two strengths and made with high-quality USDA organic CBD extract. Get 30% off with code CBDSLEEP30.*

Outdoors

👟 6.2 miles of Monument Ave.

A crowd of runners on a closed-off street

Every year, thousands of runners and walkers flock to Richmond for the Monument Avenue 10k. | Photo by RICtoday

If you’re hitting the bricks for the Monument Avenue 10k tomorrow morning — or if you’re supporting someone who is — here’s what you need to know.

History

The first Monument 10k was held in 2000. Its first year, only 2,462 people signed up to run. By 2006, it had grown into the the fourth-largest 10k and the 22nd-largest race of any distance in the country.

Past winners have included world-class distance runners like Abdi Abdirahman, Kellyn Taylor, and Paul Chelimo, as well as local legends like Silas Frantz and 2023 Richmond Marathon winner Bethany Sachtleben.

For competitors

Those driving themselves to the race should be prepared to park a good half mile from the course — consider this your warm up. Sports Backers offers a free bike valet if two wheels are more your style.

If you’d rather save your legs for the race, take the Pulse to the Arts District station. Pro tip: Check race day delays and detours beforehand — the VCU/VUU station will be closed for most of tomorrow.

More race day details

The Buy

Biz that gives back. Check out these brands that are committed to sustainability and giving back to the environment to celebrate Earth Day.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
David

From the editor

I’ve run the Monument Avenue 10k several times over the years, most recently during my senior year of college. I had spent the year training with Team Blitz, William & Mary’s club cross country team, but despite the fantastic atmosphere I didn’t have quite the race I wanted. At least I got a picture to memorialize my suffering.

a long-haired man in running shorts winces in post-race pain — My most recent Monument Ave. 10k experience might have been painful, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a blast.
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Photo via MarathonFoto

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