Reposted August 19, 2024

Part of ongoing efforts to better manage speeding on city of Richmond streets

RICHMOND, Va. –   The Richmond Police Department (RPD), in conjunction with the city’s Vision Zero Task Force, under the umbrella of the Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW), and with the support of the Safe and Healthy Streets Commission, the Richmond City Council, and Mayor Levar M. Stoney, are deploying safety cameras at Richmond school zones at nine additional locations:

• Huguenot High School, 7900 block of Forest Hill Avenue
• Lucille Brown Middle School, 6300 block of Jahnke Road
• Mary Munford Elementary School, 4500 block of Grove Avenue
• McClenney Elementary School, 3800 block of Chamberlayne Avenue
• MLK, Jr. Middle School, 1000 block of Mosby Street
• River City Middle School, 6300 block of Hull Street Road
• Swansboro Elementary School, 3160 block of Midlothian Turnpike
• Thomas Boushall Middle School, 3400 block of Hopkins Road
• Westover Hills Elementary School, 1200 block of Jahnke Road

These safety cameras are being installed this week with the plan of being operational on Monday, August 19, which is the first day of school at most Richmond Public Schools. Once installed and operational, there will be a 30-day grace period for violations at each location.

The plan also calls for the installation of cameras at Richmond Technical School of the Arts (formerly George Wythe High School) and Thomas Jefferson High School.

A map of the additional safety camera locations is below.

The Vision Zero Task Force is continuing its work to improve the safety of people who walk, roll and bike across streets within school zones regardless of their age or ability.

The goal is to eliminate speeding on city streets, particularly within active school zones. 

Based upon the Code of Virginia (§ 46.2-882.1) adopted by the General Assembly and the Ordinance (2021-371) adopted by Richmond City Council with the support of Mayor Stoney, the Safe and Healthy Streets Commission, and the Vision Zero Task Force, the following key points are highlighted for the public:

• Warning signs will be posted indicating that safety cameras to monitor vehicle speeds are in operation, two cameras at each school.
• A warning period of 30 days will be in effect once the cameras are in operation where warnings will be issued to the owner of vehicles.
• After the 30-day warning period, the registered owner of a vehicle shall be liable for a monetary civil penalty imposed if such vehicle is found to be traveling at speeds of at least 11 miles per hour above the posted school crossing zone or highway work zone speed limit within such school crossing zone or highway work zone, while such zone is active.
• For the first violation following the grace period the civil penalty shall be $50.
  • For all subsequent violations the civil penalty shall be $100.
• Safety cameras will be in operation (on days when school is in session):
  • 7:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. and
  • 2:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

The Safety Camera Program is one part of a comprehensive approach to better manage speeds within the City of Richmond. 

Incorporating recommendations from the Vision Zero Task Force, DPW uses the complete streets approach along with Vision Zero principles to change the build environment to make roadway and safety improvements, such as:

• The construction of 200 speed tables citywide in this current fiscal year, using a $1.1 million allocation of local resources supported by the Mayor and the Richmond City Council.
• The implementation of traffic calming measures with additional crossing enhancements for people walk, roll, or ride transit.
• The improvement of streets using roadway conversions to prioritize transit like the Broad Street Streetscape project.
• The installation of pedestrian hybrid beacons for people crossing multi-lane streets.
• The reallocation of street space using roadway conversions to provide quick build bike infrastructure using the City’s resurfacing program.
• The construction of accessible sidewalks with pedestrian countdown signals and high visibility crosswalks to transit stops.
• The conversion of intersections into modern roundabouts.
• Securing over $750 million in discretionary funding for transportation projects to change the built environment.
• Retiming traffic signals to encourage speeds to follow the speed limit, creating a wait at the next red light for people that elect to speed.
• Engaging public on developing safety culture through its Speed Management Symposiums and to share the City’s comprehensive approach to speed management.
• Participating in an ongoing Speed Management Pilot Program.
• Lowering all speed limits on city-maintained streets to a maximum of 35 mph, except for one regional freeway at 45 mph.
• Launching public service announcements to encourage slowing down to a stop for people crossing the street.

The next expansion for the Safety Camera Program will bring the total number at the pilot stage to 26 safety cameras, covering 13 school zones.

RPD will continually monitor the program’s effectiveness and have the ability to move these mobile safety cameras as needed when crash data indicates a higher-priority location has been identified. The data collected by these devices is not permitted to be used in other investigations.

For more information on Safety Camera Program, please visit us online at: https://rva.gov/police/safety-camera-program

For more information on Vision Zero, go to https://www.rva.gov/public-works/vision-zero or email AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

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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