Posted July 29, 2025

RICHMOND, Va.  – The Department of Public Works (DPW) is set to launch a Centralized Transit Signal Priority (TSP) and Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) Project this fall. This project builds upon more than a decade of groundwork by the Department, which has successfully funded the connection all 490 traffic signalized intersections into a centralized transportation management system. With the deployment of Econolite Centracs Priority software, Richmond will be equipped with one of the most advanced, fully integrated traffic signal systems in the nation. As part of this system, the city’s traffic signals will be directly linked to the GRTC Operations Center and the City’s Emergency 911 Call Center, ensuring real-time responsiveness for buses and emergency vehicles. Initially, up to 150 intersections will be equipped with this technology. This technology advancement further elevates Richmond’s standing and recent ranking by ConsumerAffairs, as the 4th best city in the nation for public transportation.

This project introduces new capabilities to the city’s transit and emergency response network with three core goals:

1. Boost Transit Reliability:
   
   • By giving priority to GRTC buses at intersections, the system will improve efficiency across Richmond’s fare-free bus network. This system supports ridership growth, already up 17% since 2018, setting a national example.
2. Speed Emergency Response:
   
   • Fire trucks will benefit from real-time signal preemption, helping crews reach emergencies faster and enhancing public safety across Richmond.
3. Safe Access for All:
   
   • Coordinated signals will continue to reduce delays for people walking, rolling, biking, and driving, fostering a safer, more predictable transportation environment, and supporting a growing city population.

Project Timeline (the Department will roll out the project in phases):

• Fall 2025: System design and integration begins
• Spring 2027: Testing and full deployment across all signalized intersections

By deploying Econolite Centracs Priority, this initiative aims to keep buses on schedule and help fire trucks to reach emergencies faster – all while improving transportation movement for people walking, biking, and driving across the city’s 490 signalized intersections.

Imagine a Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) bus, running just a few minutes behind schedule, approaching an intersection. Instead of idling at a red light, the signal extends its green, allowing the bus to glide through and stay on track.

The Greater Richmond Transit Company, which has seen ridership soar with its fare-free Pulse bus rapid transit line, views this as a vital enhancement. “Reliable transit is the backbone of an equitable city,” said Sheryl Adams, CEO of GRTC. “The Centracs Priority system ensures our buses keep to their schedules, connecting Richmonders to jobs, healthcare, and opportunities without delay. It’s a commitment to our riders and our community.”

Dironna Moore Clarke, Public Works Deputy Director and Administrator of the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility, said, “this project reflects Richmond’s commitment to putting people first – by making transit faster, and more reliable. Giving priority to transit and emergency vehicles improves access to services and reinforces our public safety mission, while also advancing our sustainability goals. By reducing transit idling, supporting zero-fare, short-wait transit and cutting response times, we’re building a smarter, greener, and more efficient transportation system for all.”

For the Richmond Fire Department, the stakes are even higher. “Every second counts when lives are on the line,” said Interim Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal. “This technology clears the way for our crews, ensuring we can reach emergencies faster and save more lives. It’s a lifeline for our city.”

With the newly improved signal system, traffic signals will sense a fire truck’s approach, turning red lights green to clear a path, shaving precious seconds off response times.

“This project is a game-changer for Richmond’s transportation system,” said Michael B. Sawyer, City Transportation Engineer. “By integrating cutting-edge technology, we’re not just improving transportation safety—we’re building a safer, more equitable city where transit is more reliable, and first responders can act swiftly.”

For more information on the Department of Public Works, go to rva.gov/public-works or email askpublicworks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on activities and events visit us on X @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk, and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

Posted July 25, 2025

DMV and City of Richmond Debut 54-Foot Ladder at The Diamond to Demonstrate Powerful Effects of Speed in Crashes 

RICHMOND, Va. (July 25, 2025) – Did you know that pushing someone from the top of a 54-foot ladder has the same impact as someone being hit by a car traveling 40 mph? This powerful comparison is now at the center of a new public awareness display from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the City of Richmond — created to highlight the life-threatening consequences of speeding.

Today, during a press conference at The Diamond, a Richmond landmark, officials from the Commonwealth and the City unveiled a bright yellow, 54-foot ladder that now towers beside the stadium as the centerpiece of the campaign. A dramatic video features a professional climber scaling the ladder, offering a jolting perspective: the higher the fall, the harder the hit. At just 40 mph, a pedestrian struck by a car experiences the same force as falling from that towering height which is roughly five stories.

“Speeding was a factor in more than 400 traffic deaths in Virginia last year,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III. “Every driver has a responsibility to understand the real impact of their decisions behind the wheel. This campaign puts the stark reality of those consequences front and center, urging everyone to slow down, follow the speed limit, and save lives.”

As the ladder gets higher, markers show increasing speeds in miles per hour. Each one of the markers shows the relationship between falling from that height and being hit by a car moving 10, 20 or 30 miles per hour.

“This campaign makes the invisible visible,” said DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “We’re taking the science of impact and turning it into something drivers can feel in their gut — because that’s how we change behavior.”

Last year alone, 410 people lost their lives in speed-related crashes across Virginia — including 10 in the City of Richmond. In response, Richmond has taken bold, proactive steps to make its streets safer by becoming a Vision Zero city, committed to eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Highlights of the city’s efforts include expanding speed enforcement, launching a safety camera program with 13 school zone cameras, constructing 200 speed tables citywide in the past year, and implementing a range of traffic calming measures to slow drivers down and protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists.

“In Richmond, we’re committed to making our streets safer for everyone — whether you’re behind the wheel, on a bike or on foot,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “This ladder makes the danger of speeding impossible to ignore. If this display gets even one person to slow down and save a life, it’s worth every foot, because a thriving city starts with safe streets.”

This ladder was created through a local Richmond collaboration — conceptualized by Two Tango Collaborative, designed by Barker Designs, and built by BrandSafway Scaffolding Systems, with video production provided by Advanced Visual Production.

This week's event is part of a coordinated effort across jurisdictions in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Region 3 — including Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, the District of Columbia and Kentucky — to raise awareness about the deadly consequences of speeding.

Want to see the ladder up close? Stop by The Diamond and catch a Richmond Flying Squirrels game as they take on the Portland Sea Dogs:

• Friday, July 25 at 6:35 p.m.
• Saturday, July 26 at 6:05 p.m.
• Sunday, July 27 at 5:05 p.m.

The message is simple: Speed Has an Impact.

To view the climb on the ladder, click here.

To view video of today's event, click here. It includes a soundbite from Virginia DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey.

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Posted July 24, 2025

~ Citywide data highlights where speed management is working and still needed ~

RICHMOND, Va. – The City of Richmond has released comprehensive citywide speed data, now available to the public through its Vision Zero webpage. Mayor Danny Avula highlighted the significance of this release:

“As promised at the Speed Management Symposium in May, we’re making citywide speed data public for the first time. This is about delivering on our commitment to transparency and giving residents clear, accessible information about driver behavior on Richmond’s streets. It’s a critical step toward building trust and making our streets safer for everyone.”

Collected through a combination of cell phones and vehicle GPS systems, the speed data informs engineering, enforcement, and education efforts. The interactive, online dashboard shows the most recent two months of speed data.

“Managing traffic speeds helps ensure our first responders can reach emergencies more safely, said Richmond Fire Marshall William Spindle. “As a member of the Vision Zero Task Force, I’m encouraged that this speed data is now publicly available. It demonstrates the impact of traffic calming measures and highlights areas along the High Injury Network where we still need improvements.”

The city invites residents, advocates, and researchers to explore the speed data resources found on the Vision Zero webpage: rva.gov/visionzero.

For more information on the Department of Public Works, go to rva.gov/public-works or email askpublicworks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on activities and events visit us on X @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk, and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

Posted July 23, 2025

Media Advisory

What: The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the City of Richmond will hold a press conference to unveil a striking new public safety display: a 54-foot bright yellow ladder at The Diamond. The ladder—paired with a dramatic video of a professional climber scaling it—visually demonstrates the devastating impact of speed in crashes. A pedestrian hit by a car traveling 40 mph experiences the same force as a fall from the top of the ladder. 

This bold display serves as the centerpiece of a statewide effort to raise awareness about speed-related fatalities, which claimed 410 lives in Virginia last year — including 10 in the City of Richmond. The event is part of a coordinated speed awareness initiative across jurisdictions in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Region 3. 

When: Friday, July 25 at 10 a.m.

Where: The Diamond
3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23230

Parking: Media is allowed to park on the red lot which is located at the entrance off Arthur Ashe Boulevard adjacent to Arthur Ashe Center.

Who:

• W. Sheppard Miller III, Virginia Secretary of Transportation
• Gerald Lackey, Commissioner for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles 
• Brandy Brubaker, Director of Highway Safety Strategy for the Department of Motor Vehicles
• Colonel Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police
• Lawson Wijesooriya, Chief of Staff for City of Richmond Mayor Danny Avula
• Andrew Beton, City of Richmond Councilmember and member of the City’s Safe and Healthy Streets Commission

Visuals:

• 54-foot tall ladder display with injury impact markers
• On-site interviews available

Background: Richmond, a Vision Zero city, has implemented multiple traffic safety measures including increased speed enforcement, school zone safety cameras, and the construction of 200 speed tables citywide over the past year. This campaign supports the city’s mission to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.

This ladder was created through a local Richmond collaboration—conceptualized by Two Tango Collaborative, designed by Barker Designs, and is being built by BrandSafway Scaffolding Systems, with video production provided by Advanced Visual Production.

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Posted July 17, 2025

~This event is free and open to the public ~

RICHMOND, Va. – Join the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility, a division of the Department of Public Works, this Saturday, July 19 for a free community block party and street art mural painting event. The event will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on the corner of Mosby and P streets. The public is encouraged to attend and help paint the mural.

This mural is the second in a series of three Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper (LQC) street art mural projects on Mosby Street. Students from the Paul Development Center, a local nonprofit organization that empowers children and families through education and community support, created the artwork designs used for this mural installation.

Earlier this year, the first LQC mural was completed on Mosby Street near Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, sparking energy and pride in the neighborhood. A third mural on Mosby Street will be completed later this summer. The LQC model emphasizes simple, low-cost, high-impact temporary enhancements to improve pedestrian safety while permanent solutions are developed and funded. These murals serve as both art and action.

Go to https://www.rva.gov/public-works/lqc for more information.

We’re Social! For updates on activities and events visit us on X @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk, and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

The LQC program is a key initiative in the city’s efforts to promote transportation equity, improve public safety, and foster community engagement in urban planning. As the first phase of the Richmond Connects implementation process, LQC aims to address pressing safety concerns and provide more immediate solutions while longer-term, permanent infrastructure changes are being developed. Although LQC projects are not intended to replace permanent infrastructure, they provide essential, timely improvements to make streets safer and more accessible in the interim.

These initial projects are just the beginning of a broader effort to enhance neighborhoods across Richmond. Moving forward, the LQC program will continue to focus on promoting safety, improving the transit rider experience, improving accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, and creating opportunities for residents to actively shape the future of their communities.