RICHMOND, Va. -- All five mayoral candidates took the stage at the Citizens' Debate Tuesday.
The debate, held at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC), was co-sponsored by Richmond First, the VMHC’s John Marshall Center, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and WTVR CBS 6.
Moderator Greg McQuade and panelists Bob Holsworth, Chris Coates and Reba Hollingsworth asked 11 questions to the candidates — Andreas Addison, Danny Avula, Michelle Mosby, Maurice Neblett, and Harrison Roday.
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Citizens' Debate Recap: Where Richmond's mayoral candidates stand on key issues
The seventh question of the debate was: Why isn’t more being done to address the number of pedestrians who are being injured or killed on Richmond streets? As mayor, what do you pledge to do first to address the issue?
Danny Avula
As public health director, focusing on bike and ped safety was a big priority for us for several years. This work requires a lot of different organizations to come together, and it requires public accountability around set goals.
In my career in public health, so much of the work that I did was convening partners across the city, across the region, to solve complex public health problems.
Specifically to the issue of pedestrian safety. We need to look at the design of our community. We need to use technology where we can to look at streetlight timing, to look at speed cameras. We need to add speed tables when appropriate, but we can also narrow roads and build more protected infrastructure for pedestrians and bikers.
That's the future of our city, and we need to invest in it.
Maurice Neblett
Making sure that we have funds allocated properly. We need to look at traffic calming measures. We need to also look at cutting the cost when it comes to getting this job done.
We need to incorporate individuals from our community into the Richmond Technical Center so that they are able to obtain trades and certifications and insert into the workforce. I'm all about self-sustainability and a united better Richmond is key.
Harrison Roday
This is a critical issue, and we all know it shouldn't take someone being tragically killed, whether as a pedestrian or as a cyclist, in order for this issue to be addressed. Like so many of you, I walk around the city all the time. I ride my bike around the city, and what I think what it takes when it comes to City Hall is renewing our focus on what transportation means.
We have a Department of Public Works that does an excellent job of performing their role. We need a dedicated advocacy group in the form of a Department of Transportation to focus on these issues and ensure we're working across departments to get these things done, because Vision Zero, which means no one ever getting killed in an accident like this needs to be a reality for our city.
Michelle Mosby
Vision Zero is what we're saying that we'd like to see in fatalities. I live on the Southside of Richmond, where there are not a lot of sidewalks. We just had someone lose their life on Midlothian Turnpike. And so again, as we're building out this city, we're trying to make sure that we have fare-free transit that lasts, that we have BRT that's working for us, that we have these bike lanes.
What we need is a Transportation Director, but what we also need is a leader that can get the five votes that you need to have the Transportation Director.
These things are necessary in leadership.
We have a lot of people having a lot of nice thought processes, but you have to have a leader that has been proven that has been able to work with City Council to get these things done.
We need a Transportation Director to take us further.
Andreas Addison
There are too many Black and brown residents in South Richmond that are taking their lives and risking it just across the street to get to the bus. There are too many times people are coming home from work and they're being hit by cars or almost being hit by cars. It is our built environment. This is going to be an infrastructure project.
It is this issue, specifically from my experience doing no car November, riding the bus, walking the streets, going to Southside, going to Northside, that showed me the difference of infrastructure projects we have across our city. That's why in 2022 City Council approved my request to create a new Department of Transportation, a national best practice of understanding how to organize our resources, to plan for growth, to plan for safety, to invest in the sidewalks, to invest in the streets and the traffic calming needs around the entire city.
Not wait for a complaint, another data point, unfortunately, another casualty, to make a response.
It's time to be proactive in how we invest in our neighborhoods to make them safe for everybody.
Learn more about the candidates
We recapped every debate question here:
- Question 1: Why you want to be mayor
- Question 2: Finance department
- Question 3: Government transparency
- Question 4: School system
- Question 5: Real estate tax rate
- Question 6: Government efficiency
- Question 7: Pedestrian safety
- Question 8: Police
- Question 9: VCU
- Question 10: Monument Avenue
- Question 11: City Charter Review Commission
Watch the full debate here or on our YouTube channel.
CBS 6 interviewed each candidate ahead of the debate, which you can find here:
- Harrison Roday (Sept. 9)
- Michelle Mosby (Sept. 10)
- Maurice Neblett (Sept. 11)
- Danny Avula (Sept. 18)
- Andreas Addison (Sept. 23)
For more information on this year’s election — and how to cast your ballot in the City of Richmond or the surrounding areas — visit WTVR’s Virginia Voter’s Guide.
You can check your voter registration here. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 15.
What hopes do you have for Richmond's next mayor? Email the CBS 6 Newsroom and let us know.
Note: WTVR used AI software to transcribe the debate and newsroom staff to edit for clarity.
