RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Dozens of people crammed inside the University of Richmond’s downtown building to attend a public meeting on the GRTC Pulse (Bus Rapid Transit) Monday.
The GRTC Pulse is being touted to eventually serve a 7.6 mile route through the high-density and high ridership areas along Broad Street.
“Right now it will take you almost on this stretch if you ride local buses a little more than an hour to get to one end to the other, once BRT is operational it will be about 30-minutes. So, imagine getting a little over an hour you’re getting half of your trip back,” said GRTC Public Relations Manager Carrie Rose Pace.
The original plan called for doing away with more than 700 parking spaces in downtown Richmond, but now a revised plan will save more than 400-spaces.
Losing parking spaces was a huge concern for Zoe Anne Greene who is a member of the Museum District Association as well as the Coalition for Smart Transit.
“The main concerns with parking are the loss of parking on Broad Street and the overflow parking from the loss of parking on Broad Street and the parking at the different stations,” said Greene, who is worried that taking away spaces will force people to park in already congested neighborhoods.
However, people have said they are relieved that hundreds of parking spaces will be spared.
“A lot of people are coming out and getting involved which is good because this plan is clearly better than the one we saw in May so hopefully public input will continue to make it better,” said Richmond City Councilman Jonathan Baliles.
Even Greene said the new plan is an improvement.
“It’s gotten better it’s gotten a lot better but I still think there’s still a way to go,” said Green.
In the meantime, more public meetings will be held including one Tuesday night starting at 6:00 at the University of Richmond downtown office at 626 E. Broad Street.
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