City News

Press Releases and Announcements

City of Richmond announces Labor Day closures

The City of Richmond will close in observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 7. We will reopen on Tuesday, September 8. Scroll through for information about City service schedules during the holiday weekend. 

For the full city holiday calendar, please visit the Holiday Closings page .   

  • There will be no trash collection or bulk and brush collection on Monday, September 7. All collections will be delayed by one day. Collections scheduled for pick-up on Monday will be picked up on Tuesday and so on through Friday, September 11.  
  • The East Richmond Road Convenience Center (ERRCC) Landfill, located at 3800 East Richmond Road, will be closed Saturday, September 5, and Monday, September 7. ERRCC will reopen on Tuesday, September 8.
  • Recycling will not be collected on Monday, September 7. Collections  will be delayed by one day. Collections scheduled for Monday will be picked up on Tuesday and so on through Friday, September 11.
  • All Richmond Public Libraries are closed on Monday, September 7, and will reopen on Tuesday, September 8. 
  • RVA311 will be open Saturday, Sept. 5, and will be closed on September 7. The public will have 24/7 access to self-service via RVA311.com and mobile apps. RVA311 will reopen on Tuesday, September 8.
  • Richmond Public Schools are closed on Friday, September 4, and Monday, September 7. Schools will reopen on September 8.
  • All Parks and Rec offices and community centers are closed Monday, September 7 and will reopen on September 8.
  • Outdoor Pools will operate 1 – 7 p.m. on Monday, September 7, for their last swim.
  • The Department of Public Utilities Call Center is closed Monday, September 7 and will reopen Tuesday, September 8. For utility emergencies, customers should call 804-646-4646, stay on the line, and press Option 1. For gas leaks, leave the area and call 911. 
  • Richmond Animal Care and Control will be closed on Monday, September 7. RACC will reopen by appointment only on Tuesday, September 8, and will have regular walk-in hours on Wednesday, September 9.

Office of Elections | Closure Notice

The City of Richmond Office of Elections will be closed from 1:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2026 for a staff meeting. 

Please plan accordingly. We appreciate your understanding. 

For voter and election information, visit: rva.gov/elections or email vote@rva.gov

election office closure notice information

Office of Elections | Electoral Board Meeting

This notice is being provided to alert the public that an Electoral Board meeting is scheduled.

Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location:
City of Richmond Office of Elections
2134 W. Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227
2nd Floor Conference Room

The agenda for this meeting will be posted once it has been reviewed and approved by the Electoral Board. Please note that the agenda is subject to change. Items may be added, removed, or modified prior to or during the meeting, as permitted by law.

Members of the public who wish to speak at the meeting must submit their request by email to Executive Assistant, Caitlin Shelton, at electoral.board@rva.gov no later than Tuesday, September 16, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

This meeting will be recorded.

Additional updates related to meeting logistics will be communicated as necessary.

Agenda

 

Join the Meeting

Members of the public may attend this meeting in person or join remotely using the options below.

 

Meeting ID:
Passcode: 

Join by Phone: 
Dial: 

Phone Conference ID: 

Statement from Richmond Department of Transportation Director Andy Boenau

"On behalf of the City of Richmond Department of Transportation, I want to express our concern for the people injured during yesterday morning’s incident at the temporary GRTC Downtown Transfer Station. We are grateful that the injuries reported were not life-threatening, and our thoughts remain with those who were affected.

 

We want to thank the quick actions of first responders, including Richmond Police, Richmond Fire and Richmond Ambulance Authority, and emergency personnel who responded immediately, cared for those injured, secured the area, and helped restore safe conditions. We also recognize the outstanding work of GRTC staff, who maintained transit operations during a challenging emergency event and worked diligently to minimize disruptions for riders.

 

A bus trip is an extension of a walking trip, which means transit operations and pedestrian safety are closely linked. The City remains focused on improving safety throughout Richmond’s transportation network, particularly in high-activity transit areas where thousands of people walk, wait, and transfer every day.

 

This incident occurred at the temporary Downtown Transfer Station, a facility that continues to play a critical role in connecting riders while Richmond and GRTC advance plans for a permanent Downtown Transit Hub immediately adjacent to the current site. The future transit hub represents an important investment in safe, reliable access to increase the comfort of the riders' experience. We look forward to continued progress on this transformative project, which will provide modern facilities designed to better serve both transit riders and the surrounding region for decades to come.

 

As part of ongoing efforts to evaluate operations and enhance safety, the Downtown Transfer Station will undergo a full safety review and targeted improvements. To support this work, additional planned closures of the transfer station will occur from August 31, 2026, through September 11, 2026. During this period, bus routes will continue operating from designated temporary transfer locations nearby.

 

Before the closure begins, riders will receive a detailed map showing where each route will stop within the temporary transfer area, and signage will be installed throughout the area to help customers navigate the temporary changes. We encourage people to pay close attention to posted information and GRTC service announcements during this period.

 

We thank everyone for their patience and understanding. The City of Richmond and GRTC remain committed to providing a safe, reliable access to all the places Richmond offers while continuing to invest in the long-term improvements that will strengthen transit service throughout our region."

 

City Completes Pilot Safety Camera Program

The City of Richmond has completed installation of its pilot Safety Camera Program, bringing the program to 13 school-zone speed cameras and 10 red-light enforcement intersections across the city.

 

The program is designed to deter dangerous driving, encourage compliance with traffic laws and reduce serious and fatal crashes, and data from the school-zone cameras show measurable reductions in vehicle speeds at most locations.

 

A 29-month analysis of the City’s 13 school-zone camera locations found that 10 schools experienced measurable reductions in vehicle speeds after cameras were installed. Three schools maintained speeds at or below the 25-mph school-zone limit throughout the analysis period. At Richmond High School for the Arts, the largest improvement was recorded, with average speeds dropping from 41-mph to 33-mph. 

 

“Every mile per hour matters when it comes to safety, especially near our schools where children are walking, biking, and crossing streets,” said Andy Boenau, Director of the Richmond Department of Transportation. “Safety cameras are not about revenue, they are about changing driver behavior and saving lives, and the data shows they are working.”

 

The final red-light camera in the pilot program has been installed at Fairfield Avenue and Mechanicsville Turnpike. A 30-day warning period begins August 27, 2026. During the warning period, motorists who run a red light at the intersection will receive a warning notice rather than a citation.

 

Following the warning period, registered vehicle owners who receive a red-light violation captured by the safety camera will be issued a $50 citation, in accordance with the Code of Virginia.

 

The addition of Fairfield Avenue and Mechanicsville Turnpike brings the red-light enforcement portion of the pilot program to completion, with 10 safety cameras installed and operational or entering the warning period:

  • Fairfield Avenue & Mechanicsville Turnpike
  • Hull Street Road & East Belt Boulevard
  • Midlothian Turnpike & German School Road
  • 25th Street & Main Street
  • Belvidere Street & Cary Street
  • Chamberlayne Avenue & Brookland Park Boulevard
  • Chamberlayne Avenue & Laburnum Avenue
  • Hull Street & Warwick Road
  • Hull Street & Cowardin Avenue
  • Commerce Road & Maury Street

 

Drivers are encouraged to:

  • Slow down as traffic signals turn yellow. Yellow means prepare to stop, not speed up.
  • Stop fully at red lights. Entering an intersection after the light has turned red is a violation.
  • Stay alert and avoid distractions while driving.
  • Plan ahead and allow extra time to reach your destination safely.

 

Red-light running contributes to hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries across the country each year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 1,000 people are killed and more than 100,000 are injured annually in crashes involving drivers who run red lights.


For more information about Richmond’s Safety Camera Program, visit rva.gov/police/safety-camera-program.

For more information about Richmond’s Vision Zero efforts, visit rva.gov/public-works/vision-zero.

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