Today the City of Richmond's Urban Design Committee voted in support of a RECOMMENDATION to the City's Planning Commission to reject the proposed design plans for the Forest Hill Improvement Project. The UDC listed around a dozen reasons against the updated proposal from the Department of Public Works. Regardless of this vote, the Planning Commission will have the ultimate say at their June 20th Meeting. (and oddly enough, the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is scheduled to approve the funding for this project later today).
I am pleased to report: Bike Lanes have been improved in the designs on this section of Forest Hill Avenue so that FULL 5' BIKE LANES will exist. Signs and sharrows will be included to help cyclists merge back into traffic when necessary.
Still remaining to be addressed is the transition at the RMA where traffic exits the toll booth heading west on Forest Hill Avenue. We all know how dangerous this area is and we continue to raise this concern as an issue that should be addressed within THIS PROJECT.
Today the UDC sided with a very organized and vocal opposition to the project coming from the neighborhoods along the corridor. Concerns were raised by the UDC dealing with the median size, dedicated left turn lanes, tree canopies, speed, and the overall footprint of the project. The UDC criticized DPW for not allowing genuine public input into the project design. The Chairwoman of the UDC stated she felt it was ironic that DPW designed a road that is clearly built to increase traffic flow thru the corridor and then package it with inadequate pedestrian and cycling designs.
Now it is up to the Planning Commission.....
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