GRTC seeking input about proposed north-south Pulse routes

The Greater Richmond Transit Company is planning to implement new Pulse rapid transit bus service along a north-south route, and officials are seeking input through a survey from local residents about which potential routes they prefer.

The selected route ultimately will run between Henrico and Chesterfield, through Richmond. The Henrico portion of the new line is set: it will begin at Azalea Avenue, near Henrico High School, and travel south along Chamberlayne Avenue to its intersection with Lombardy Avenue in Richmond.

But GRTC officials need help determining the path of the service through Richmond and figuring out where it should end in Chesterfield.

In Richmond, there are three potential options:
• one would travel along Leigh Street, 1st and 2nd street, Broad Street, 8th and 9th streets and cross over the Manchester Bridge;
• another would use Lombardy Street, Broad Street, 8th and 9th streets and the Manchester Bridge;
• the third would travel along Lombardy, Broad, 1st and 2nd streets and the Route 1 bridge.

In Chesterfield, there are three potential options:
• one would continue south along Route 1 to its end point at the US Defense Supply Center Richmond;
• another would instead travel west along Route 360 to its end point at Turner Road;
• the third would travel west along Route 60 to its end point near Chesterfield Town Center.

The goals of the north-south Pulse service are to alleviate the existing major north-south routes in the city, which are at capacity; to improve the reliability, accessibility and connectivity of GRTC’s existing and future local and on-demand transit services; and to to expand equitable access to education, employment and other services locally.

During the next phase of planning, GRTC officials will conduct traffic analyses and consider possible locations for stations.