Infrastructure and Keji the Shark
Cheers RVA!
Today will be mostly sunny with a high of 85. The chance of rain is near zero and the daytime humidity around 38%.
the juice:
A cyclist was killed in Henrico Friday evening at the intersection of Staples Mill Road and Waller Street, right next to Libbie Mill. The driver stayed on the scene and there have been no charges so far.
Whenever someone dies in a traffic incident, whether it be an automobile or on a bike or just walking, it’s worth considering if alternative infrastructure would have made a difference? In this particular case it is unknown.
I see cyclists on arterial roads like West Broad Street and Staples Mill wearing reflective gear and a helmet with flashing lights. I also see cyclists with no light, no helmet, and dark clothing.
Some pedestrians walk on the side of the road with no sidewalk, some walk in the road.
There is no cure-all 100% safe way to move people around, but specific solutions like lighting and a place for non-cars do work.
As we see more and more development of denser residential areas along these arteries, alternative modes of transportation safety and efficiency need to be prioritized. See the dive for a look into the Staples Mill Road Small Area Plan.
the pulp:
City Council to vote on $20k increase in salary for Council Members, from channel 8. The raise would increase salaries from $25k to $45k beginning 2025. Most of the seats are running unopposed and part of the rationale for the pay increase is to incentifize more citizens to run. It could be you!
Longtime retailer Disco Sports puts Henrico shop up for sale with plans to relocate, from Jack Jacobs at Bizsense. The pivot from restaurant to retail in the split-level building was impressive.
The Wheels for Change Community Bike Ride was held Saturday to advocate for improved road safety and pedestrian walkways across the state, from channel 6.
the tangent:
Last week Axios reported that “a great white shark was swimming around off the coast of Kitty Hawk”. Yahoo News and a bunch of local sites ran the story. It’s a great, pulpy, headline. Jaws was an industry-changing film, we get it.
So how close to Kitty Hawk was the shark swimming around?
Like 25 miles off the coast.
Keji is a male white shark.
Keji weighs 578 lbs and is 9’7” long.
Keji was tagged in Nova Scotia and has been swimming back and forth to the Gulf of Mexico for the last 3 years.
The non-profit that tracks the shark has the motto, facts over fear.
the dive:
In March 2023 the Staples Mill Road Small Area Plan was published. The two-year study involved Henrico County, VDOT, GRTC, the City of Richmond, the RRTPO (regional) and FHWA (federal). I don’t know how much money Kittleson and Associates were paid to consult. From the report:
As a principal arterial roadway, Staples Mill Road has a high speed limit (45 mph) and moves many vehicles (22,000 –30,000 per day, on average). In addition to sharing the street with fast-moving traffic, people who walk or bike along the corridor today encounter large sidewalk gaps. Sidewalks are mostly missing on one or both sides of the road, and such gaps discourage walking and biking.
The study team developed two alternatives, both including a transit lane, and physically-divided bike lanes/sidewalk or a shared-use path.
The study is in depth, and includes a number of various solutions, expected costs, and sources of potential funding. Many of the ongoing and short-term goals are focused on improving intersection safety. Here are the longer term goals:
Mid-term recommendations can be implemented in the next six to ten years, and include:
Implementing spot safety improvements at priority intersections
Expanding network connectivity via low-stress walking and biking connections to the Fall Line Trail
Using a transit alternatives analysis and TOD plan to get approval and funding to implement corridor wide walking, biking and transit improvements on Staples Mill Road Long Term
Long-term recommendations can be implemented beyond ten years, and include:
Constructing corridor-wide walking, biking, transit facilities on Staples Mill Road
There have been some quality improvements in road safety in Henrico County recently and I heard Dumbarton will be restriped soon with bike lanes.
Hopefully step by step the Greater Richmond area becomes less car-centric and more people-centric.
the vibe:
I was thinking about comics as a means of communication and my main drawing friend is off singing songs by the fire with campers so I spent five minutes messing around with some free templates and came up with this:
Have a cheerful Monday RVA!
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