Street View of N. 14th Street in Richmond. Photo by Corinne Tsou.

As the capital of Virginia, Richmond is a major center for legislative action, business, history, and culture. With over 230,000 residents living in the city and over four times as many residing within the Greater Richmond Region, the issue of how people move from place to place affects all facets of daily life. Transportation systems support commutes to stores, work, homes, places of gathering, and much more.

However, the region’s transit infrastructure faces significant challenges that deter people of all ages and abilities from taking advantage of it. Virginians don’t walk, bike, or use public transit nearly as much as they would like because our infrastructure does not allow them to do so safely and conveniently.  As the Greater Richmond Region continues to grow, the need to address these challenges to ensure safety and accessibility for all travelers is becoming increasingly urgent.

Over the last decade, traffic fatalities have continued to rise across Virginia. Between 2017 and 2022, over 5,300 people were killed in crashes involving a motor vehicle, and 771 of them were pedestrians. Bicyclists have also experienced increased traffic fatalities and injuries: by May 2023, the state recorded 160 bicyclist-related crashes for that year, 9 of which were fatal. Bicyclist-related crashes continued to be a prominent issue in 2024 as a total of 690 crashes were reported statewide

Richmond is no exception to this growing trend of safety concerns on Virginia’s roadways; in fact, the region is ranked second in the amount of deadly crashes in the state. The city has taken steps toward investing in additional safety measures over the past few years, such as implementing their Vision Zero plan, creating a Richmond Department of Transportation (RDOT), and increasing the usage of speed cameras, but significant gaps in infrastructure and funding for safer and more varied transit options remain.

Advocates for walking, biking, and public transit were interviewed alongside community members to gain insight into their everyday experiences traveling in the city without a car as well as where they see areas for improvement. The non-profit and community organizations featured include Bike Walk RVA, Virginia Conservation Network, Rag & Bones, Partnership for Smarter Growth, Bike Lane Sweepers, and Groundwork RVA.

Through conversations with the community, it is clear that active forms of transportation such as walking, biking, and taking public transit can bring significant physical, mental, and environmental impacts. Aside from being a form of recreation or affordable travel, these car-free options produce less carbon emissions, air pollution, and traffic. Richmond cycling advocate Dan Nelson comments how on bikes, “even on a hot day, you make your own breeze.”

In order for the community to continue enjoying these benefits, public transportation and multimodal transportation infrastructure must be improved further to ensure safety, access, and equity throughout the city and within the region as a whole. One of the biggest issues community members and advocates identified in Richmond’s transportation system is the need for greater connectivity and network development. Between limited bus service outside of the downtown area and disconnected sidewalks and bike lanes, getting around without a car is often inconvenient and dangerous. For instance, community member Álvaro Sanchez discusses the discomfort he faces when sidewalks suddenly end, forcing him to walk on the bike lanes. Natalie Rainer from Bike Walk RVA adds, “People with children or people who are nervous about riding with cars are not using the bike lanes as much as they could because [the bike lanes] are not getting them where they need to go.” 

Further, local bus rider, Shayla, notes how “other areas, especially the counties, would really benefit from wider transportation access” and how current bus services tend to “be selective [and] benefit certain demographics, like people who are new to the city.” This issue of equity is particularly felt amongst bus riders who rely on the bus as their only means of transportation. An older woman at the bus stop, who chose not to be identified, expressed her frustration when people who are low-income, elderly, or disabled have “no other choice” and must deal with long wait times, lack of bus shelters, and disjointed service that forces them to take longer and riskier routes as pedestrians. In the warmer months, heat-related health emergencies are particularly common near bus stops and disproportionately affect these more vulnerable populations. Shayla also acknowledged problems with representation due to the fact that “most of the people who make the decisions don’t even ride the bus.” Given Richmond’s history of targeted disinvestment in and destruction of specifically Black and low-income communities, the fight toward greater access and safety must begin by repairing the inequities that were created through transportation infrastructure decades ago.

Learn about upcoming and ongoing transportation projects within the Greater Richmond Region below as well as community resources mentioned by featured organizations!