Transportation infrastructure doesn’t just influence the way we travel between locations. It also shapes the environments where we all live and work. 

With that in mind, here are some changes in the transportation space I’m keeping an eye on next year:  

Public Transit

Buses on the GRTC Pulse Line are about to get bigger (and bendier) as new, higher-capacity buses enter into service in 2025 on the city’s nationally ranked bus line.

The GRTC is also planning to replace some low-ridership routes with on-demand service, while boosting run times and frequency on busier routes.

Finally, the GRTC is hoping to boost safety by hiring security officers that will monitor some bus lines and high-frequency stops. This is in response to several high-profile incidents on the buses, but could possibly aid in addressing the gender disparity that seems common on GRTC buses.

Traffic Calming

After Shawn Soares was killed by a car while walking on a city sidewalk in 2023, the Richmond Department of Public Works initiated a mass effort to build speed bumps.

In 2025, the city will employ a more diversified arsenal of tools to slow down drivers and improve safety. These will include curb extensions, left turn hardening, and a slew of sidewalk improvements to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. You can look up many of these efforts in the City’s Capital Improvement Projects dashboard.

Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper!

Public infrastructure projects often have frustratingly-long timelines. Richmond’s Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper program — part of the city's near-term connectivity plan — is designed to push-out quick, temporary solutions that can later be replaced with permanent infrastructure. The West Broad Green pop-up park is one example from the past year.

The coming year will bring several new LQC projects to Richmond’s East End, Northside, and Southside. They include installing plastic barriers and street art to create safer, shorter street crossings.

These projects all serve to build a Richmond that is easier to get around, safer to walk in and prettier to look at.