RICHMOND, Va. — A busy Richmond intersection near Broad Rock Elementary School is getting a $780,000 safety upgrade to protect students and pedestrians.
The project at Broad Rock Boulevard and Orcutt Lane will add a new traffic signal, high-visibility crosswalks, reflective signal heads, pedestrian countdown signals, and accessible curb ramps. Currently, the intersection lacks pedestrian signals and accessible ramps.
Neighbors have expressed concerns about speeding cars and growing traffic in the area.
"It's a lot of traffic, you know, in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon," said Frank Maxon, who lives across the street from the elementary school.
"Sometimes I'm a little scared because people run it too fast," Maxon said.
The Central Virginia Transportation Authority is funding the project. Work is scheduled to begin next month and is expected to be complete by fall 2026.
Richmond Transportation Director Andy Boneau said the improvements will help those with disabilities and parents with strollers, while also serving a nearby GRTC bus route.
"We want kids to be able to walk to school safely," Boneau said. "It's also along a GRTC bus route. We want people to get to and from the bus safely."
He said the department wants to make drivers aware and expectant of pedestrians in the area.
"If you're driving, you should expect to see walking or people rolling and pushing strollers, kids moving around at these intersections," Boneau said.
Boneau noted the project aligns with Mayor Danny Avula's Vision Zero plan, an initiative aiming to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
Maxon, whose daughter will attend Broad Rock Elementary in the Fall, believes the upgrades are a step in the right direction.
"It's going be better," Maxon said. "For the school, for the children, for the people around here. I think it's a good idea. We need it."
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