Bikeable Richmond

Working to make biking and walking safer and more appealing in RVA.

[RVA YIMBY @RVA_YIMBY]

Hey YIMBYs! We’re coming at you live from a Richmond town hall about granny flats and parking minimums. Did you know it costs about $20,000 to build a parking spot? And this cost is often passed onto the homebuyer or renter.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@tomflood1 Or maybe "traffic flow will be compromised."

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@yitgordon I'm not sure how they got there, but my Northside neighborhood (developed in the 1920s and 30s) as a pretty good number of duplexes and larger houses converted to multiple apartments. Yet another thing that would be impossible under current zoning.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

Was struck by how NOT in the buffer the cars in NYC are — in contrast to Richmond. Part of this is no doubt design, but maybe also more enforcement?

[FuckCars @FuckCarsReddit]

Funny how this is associated with freedom. Yet, this land use requires an ungodly amount of government interference in the market to make happen
➡️ Ban higher density housing
➡️ Ban commercial uses
➡️ Ban small lot sizes
➡️ Ban small setbacks
➡️ Ban vegetable gardens (some areas)

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@DFRSH757 Traveling around RVA these days I am constantly thinking: What could this excess parking be converted into? So much poorly used space: surface lots downtown, especially the one at 5th and Cary; DMV; any surface lot at VCU, esp at Belvidere & Grace.

[Wyatt Gordon @yitgordon]

“U.S. drivers killed 3,434 people on foot in the first six months of 2022, an increase of 5% over the same period the prior year — and a staggering 18% increase over the number of walkers who died in early 2019.” @GHSAHQ 💀 @streetsblogkea @StreetsblogUSA
https://t.co/qVRx25BlB3

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@JustinDoyleRVA Would love it if DPW took this as a "sign" that they need to do more to slow people down.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@DFRSH757 There are so many places in Richmond where I can only imagine it's horrible for anyone with mobility issues. Blocked, broken, and non-existing sidewalks should be a bigger priority than they are, but I guess that doesn't count as a political achievement the way repaving does.

[Brent Toderian @BrentToderian]

Never forget that when Seoul, Korea removed the Cheonggyecheon expressway in 2003, & replaced it with a restored stream & 1000 acre park in the city’s centre, not only did it transform the city’s public life & economic success, but the traffic got better.

The traffic got BETTER.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

Spend billions and demolish a huge number of homes, businesses, churches, and other community buildings in order to add lanes to an already overbuilt highway that will be congested again in a year or two? Seems like a great idea!
https://t.co/iNcpOJledp

[Richmond Department of Transformation @rvadotra]

Daylighting, necking down, and marking crosswalks at every intersection used by kids getting to school is a low cost, quick build project. We don’t need to wait for a traffic study, just leaders who will make #VisionZero a priority.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@yitgordon @nedoliver @KarriPeifer Wish the growth wasn't tilted toward the suburbs. I realize that's where prices may be lower and people can satisfy their appetite for big houses, but more suburbs isn't exactly going to help us with climate issues.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@DFRSH757 And that people are encouraged to think of them as "green."

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@yitgordon I guess the more effective move of slowing drivers down and enforcing yield laws is not thing?

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

The most recent minutes from RVA's Safe and Healthy Streets Commission are pretty encouraging. Getting speed humps usually takes a lot of work, but the city now seems a bit more proactive - there's a list of 150 humps and raised sidewalks to be installed in coming months.

[Bikeable Richmond @JasonJa13694863]

@DFRSH757 @DPW_RichmondVA Glad you're ok! I have no doubt there are many, many close calls like this that never get attention but add up to a unsafe environment

[Andy Boenau @Boenau]

"Infrastructure spending will be different this time, because Pete understands."

He understands the game, yes. Reform isn't going to come from the group that keeps the status quo rolling.

https://t.co/B6lCb1IGr2