Richmond, VA — The City of Richmond will host an in-person informational session on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, to help prepare vendors, contractors, and business owners for upcoming changes to the City’s construction procurement process. 

Where: Midtown Green, located at 2401 W. Leigh Street 

When: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

Background

This event follows the Richmond City Council’s adoption of Ordinance No. 2024-186, which established Section 21-74 of the City Code. Under this new section, all City-funded construction projects valued at $250,000 or more must adhere to prevailing wage requirements beginning July 1, 2025. The ordinance aligns with Virginia Code § 2.2-4321.3(C) and is designed to ensure fair and competitive wages for workers on large-scale public construction contracts. 

During the session, City staff and subject matter experts will provide critical guidance on: 

• Which businesses and contracts are subject to the new ordinance 

• How wage classifications and rates are determined 

• Documentation requirements and steps to ensure full compliance  

“This session is an opportunity for our partners in the construction industry to receive clarity and support as we implement these important wage protections,” said Rene Almaraz Director of Procurement. “We want to ensure everyone is equipped to meet the new standards with confidence and transparency.” 

The session is especially recommended for construction companies, general contractors, subcontractors, and business owners currently working on or planning to bid on City of Richmond construction projects.

Participants are asked to RSVP by Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/4gqbgpa.

La Ciudad de Richmond tendrá una sesión informativa acerca de los nuevos requisitos salariales para los proyectos de construcción

RICHMOND, Virginia — La Ciudad de Richmond presentará una sesión informativa en persona el miércoles 4 de junio de 2025, para ayudar a preparar a los proveedores, contratistas y propietarios de negocios para los próximos cambios en el proceso de contratación de trabajos de construcción en la Ciudad.

Dónde: Midtown Green, ubicado en el 2401 de West Leigh Street.

Cuándo: Miércoles 4 de junio de 2025.

Hora: de 10:00 a.m. a 12:00 p.m.

Contexto

Este evento sigue a la adopción por parte del Concejo Municipal de Richmond de la Ordenanza # 2024-186, que creó la Sección 21-74 del Código Municipal. Bajo esta nueva sección, todos los proyectos de construcción financiados por la Ciudad valorados en $250 000 o más deben cumplir con los requisitos salariales predominantes a partir del 1 de julio de 2025. La ordenanza se alinea con la sección § 2.2-4321.3 (C) del Código de Virginia  y está diseñada para garantizar salarios justos y competitivos para los trabajadores en contratos de construcción pública a gran escala. 

Durante la sesión, el personal de la Ciudad y los expertos en la materia proporcionarán orientación crítica sobre:

• Qué empresas y contratos están sujetos a la nueva ordenanza,
• Cómo se determinan las clasificaciones e índices salariales,
• Documentación, requisitos y pasos para garantizar el pleno cumplimiento.

"Esta sesión es una oportunidad para que nuestros socios en la industria de la construcción reciban claridad y apoyo a medida que implementamos estas importantes protecciones salariales", dijo René Almaraz, Director de Adquisiciones. "Queremos asegurarnos de que todos estén equipados para cumplir con los nuevos estándares con confianza y transparencia".

La sesión está especialmente recomendada para compañías de construcción, contratistas generales, subcontratistas y propietarios de negocios que actualmente trabajan o planean presentar ofertas en proyectos de construcción de la Ciudad de Richmond.

Pedimos a los participantes que confirmen su asistencia antes del martes 3 de junio de 2025 en la página: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/4gqbgpa.

Posted June 2, 2025

~ Community meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 11 ~

Richmond, VA – The Department of Public Works will hold a community meeting to review project plans for the Arthur Ashe Boulevard Bridge Project on Wednesday, June 11 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Science Museum of Virginia located at 2500 West Broad Street. This project will replace the existing bridge structure over the CSX Railroad at the City’s crossroads between Broad Street and Interstate I-64/I-95, adjacent to Scott’s Addition and the Diamond District.

Benefits include:

• Replacing structurally deficient bridge infrastructure
• Enhancing connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles
• Enhancing a multimodal transportation network
• Enhancing safety and lowering the risk of crashes along this high-traffic area
• Improving access to local businesses and attractions
• Promoting and supporting economic development in the vicinity

The project team along with consultants from the Timmons group will be available to answer questions.

The bridge will remain open during construction with planned traffic shifts to maintain continued access. The city will work with the community to enhance safety and reduce disruptions.

This $38 million project is funded through a combination of local and federal funding.

For more information, go to rva.gov/public-works/AABB

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

Beginning Saturday, May 31 through Friday, June 8, 2025 between the hours of 7 am – 2 pm and weather permitting, the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will be performing its annual floodwall testing. For the duration of the testing at the Mayo Bridge, the bridge will be closed to ALL forms of vehicular traffic to include motorists and bicyclists. Additionally, it will be closed to all foot traffic. Traffic impacts will be intermittent at all locations throughout the testing hours.

During testing, only City of Richmond personnel and officials are permitted on site. Spectators are not allowed to be present as these areas will have restricted access due to public safety concerns.

The following is a schedule of the dates and locations along the floodwall that testing will occur: 

While floodwall testing is taking place, motorists will be detoured to adjoining streets. Barricades and signs will be posted to alert motorists. We strongly appeal to all travelers to obey signage to protect the safety of all, including the utility workers.

Richmond’s floodwall gates are tested once a year in accordance with the Army Corps of Engineers standards to ensure operability when they are needed and were last tested in June 2024. The last activation of a floodwall occurred in February 2025 with the activation of the Dock Street floodwall, which closed Dock Street between 17^th and 21^st Streets. This activation was a cautionary measure in response to heavy rains in western parts of the James River Basin area.  

Remains of 742 discovered using non-invasive methods

Richmond, VA – The City of Richmond has released the results from a site study conducted on the City-owned property at 2313 Wise Street, the location of a substation operated by the Department of Public Utilities since 1930.

The study, commissioned by the City earlier this year, involved the use of non-invasive ground penetrating radar to verify the presence of burial remains on the site, which is believed to have been used as a cemetery for both private citizens as well as deceased soldiers from area military hospitals during the Civil War.

The final results, researched and assembled by TerraSearch, an independent geophysical surveying firm, identified at least 742 potential unmarked graves on the property. Of those 742, 472 are considered "probable" internments and 270 are deemed "possible." The report adds that, while comprehensive, its findings are "not likely to represent all potential graves" due to the site's dense burial pattern. It also concludes that graves may extend beyond the property into adjacent lots to the north, west, and east.

In consultation with historians and appropriate officials at the state and local levels, the City is developing an access plan to the site which would allow visitation to descendants of those believed to have been interred there and to others interested in genealogical research. Once finalized, that plan will be announced and available on the City's website.

Background

The property at 2313 Wise Street has been owned and operated by the City of Richmond since 1930 and is the site of a gas booster facility constructed in 1931 and operated by the Department of Public Utilities.

The site, which does not include any marked graves, includes a memorial marker placed in 1939 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy which honors "more than 100 South Carolina Soldiers" who died in a hospital across the street and are believed to have been buried on the Wise Street site. A review of historical documents suggests that the site was used as a cemetery by the City of Manchester beginning in 1857 and was used for wartime burials from 1861-1862.

Although research of period appropriate maps and documentation provides some measure of evidence that the site was used as a burial ground for Confederate soldiers, there are no definitive records of wartime burials or postwar removals. In the absence of conclusive information, the City chose to commission a study of the site to confirm the presence or absence of burial remains.

Read the full report.

May 30, 2025

Richmond, VA — Yesterday, the City of Richmond experienced a water main break at 7th and Canal Streets which led to a reduction in the amount of water flowing into the City's Church Hill Tank.

An overnight repair was scheduled during low-demand hours to minimize the impact to customers. During the repair work, Richmond's Department of Public Utilities (DPU) determined that a permanent repair could not take place without an impact to Richmonders and Henrico County residents. DPU quickly coordinated with Henrico County to develop a plan to ensure appropriate levels of water would be maintained in the City's storage tanks and that regional water service would continue uninterrupted.

Due to proactive efforts by DPU staff, this plan was effectively implemented, and safe water pressure was maintained throughout the entire distribution system during this short overnight timeframe. Today, water service to residents remains safe and stable.

The permanent repair of the broken main will likely take place early next week. DPU has coordinated the timing of that repair with Henrico County to ensure no impact to regional water service and to allow Henrico County time to plan appropriate water storage for their customers.

DPU will continue to coordinate with regional partners to ensure the safety of the region's water supply.