~ Bagged collection begins October 2 and vacuum services starts November 6 ~                  

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Department of Public Works kicks off the city’s annual Leaf Collection Program Monday, October 2. Residents have two collection options for bagged leaves, (1) put out up to 10 bags on their regular trash pick-up day or (2) use the Unlimited Bag Collection Option/Sector Collection system, which coincides with trash collection days, but allows for an unlimited number of bags and an extended collection period. Biodegradable bags are preferred.

• Sector 1: Wednesday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between November 1 and November 15
• Sector 2: Thursday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between November 16 and November 25
• Sector 3: Monday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between November 27 and December 9
• Sector 4: Tuesday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between December 12 and December 29

Vacuum collection begins Monday, November 6. There is a $30 fee per request for this service. Residents must remove sticks, stones or other objects that may damage equipment and rake leaves to the curb or property line, but not into the street or gutters. The leaves must be ready for collection when the request is made. The service will take place within 15 days of the request. Please note, vacuum service may be delayed during inclement weather.

Requests and payments can be made at www.RVA311.com or by calling 3-1-1 or by mailing a check/money order to: City Hall, DPW Vacuum Service; 900 East Broad Street, Room 704; Richmond, VA 23219 

A service request ID number is generated for requests made through the RVA311 system, please be sure to include that number on the check or money order.

Lastly, there is an option to do-it-yourself (DIY). Residents can drop off loose leaves or put them in biodegradable bags at the following locations:

• The East Richmond Road Convenience Center located at 3800 East Richmond Road, or
• The Maury Street Leaf Drop-Off located at 2900 Maury Street

The Transfer Station located at 3506 North Hopkins Road accepts only bagged leaves.

Additionally, residents can compost or mulch leaves. Compost bins are available for $41.50. Send an email to askpublicworks@rva.gov or call 804-646-8325 for information on ordering a full-size compost bin. 

For more information on leaf collection please visit www.rva.gov/public-works or for assistance, call 3-1-1.

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on X (formerly Twitter) @DPW_RichmondVA

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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

~Residents can drop-off paper for shredding, electronics, household hazardous waste items and oil-based paint & learn about the City’s Food Compost Program ~

WHO:   The Department of Public Works, The Clean City Commission, The Department of Public Utilities and  The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities

WHAT: Richmond E-Cycle Day – More than Electronics!

WHEN:  Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE:  1710 Robin Hood Road (23220) northeast corner of Robin Hood Road and Arthur Ashe Boulevard

BACKGROUND:  The City of Richmond’s E-Cycle Day offers City residents an efficient option to recycle paper and electronics to help keep hazardous waste materials out of city waterways, streams and rivers. This event is available to city residents – proof of residency is required. Please note, this is a drive-thru event. Volunteers will remove items from the cars.

Paper Document Shredding

• • Up to five (5) boxes of documents
  • Be sure to remove all binders, staples and clips

Electronics (various fees apply)

• • Computer systems (hard drive or CPU) and accessories (cables, wires, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.) VCRs, camcorders, stereos, and all phones
  • Televisions, computer monitors and printers
• Other used electronic equipment (almost anything with a plug - see the online list for clarification)
• Go to www.rva.gov/public-works/clean-city-commission to get fees and the full list of electronics to recycle

Household Hazardous Waste Items (HHW)

• Pesticides, Herbicides and Oil-based Paint
• Bug spray, rodent poison and herbicides (Roundup, Weed B Gon etc.)
• Latex and water-based paints will not be collected. These items can be left in open paint cans until they have dried out and then put in with regular curbside trash pick-up.

Biodegradable Lawn and Leaf Bag Give-Away (while supplies last)

• Proof of residency is required

Richmond Compost Initiative/Community Food Compost Program

Almost a quarter of all waste going to landfills is food and organic matter. This initiative seeks to reduce and divert food waste from the landfill by providing options for composting at convenient, citywide drop-off locations and then cycle that organic waste into high quality compost for community use.

• Visit the information booth at the event and learn about composting and how it reduces harmful gas emissions by retaining carbon instead of releasing it into the atmosphere
• Learn how to participate in the program or how to start your own compost
• For more information about the initiative, go to https://www.rva.gov/index.php/parks-recreation/community-gardens

Kitchen Countertop Compost Bin (while supplies last)

• Proof of residency required
• Residents interested in purchasing a full-size compost bin, send an email to: AskPublicWorks@rva.gov and pre-order the bin 
• Pay for the bin at the event. Cost: $41.50 (checks only)

For more information on recycling or the event, please visit us online at www.rva.gov/public-works/clean-city-commission or email us at AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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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

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is a premier provider of utility service. DPU provides natural gas, water, wastewater and stormwater service to more than 500,000 residential and commercial customers in the metropolitan region. In addition, DPU operates an electric street lighting utility, which maintains 37,000 streetlights throughout the City.  For more information, visit DPU's website at www.rva.gov/public-utilities.

~Upgrades will improve traffic signal visibility and improve safety for people who walk and ride transit ~

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Department of Public Works will upgrade existing traffic signal equipment and accommodations for people who walk and ride transit at the following intersections:

• Brook Road and Brookland Park Boulevard
• Chamberlayne Avenue and Westbrook Avenue
• Forest Hill Avenue and Roanoke Street

Work for the project includes installing the following upgrades:

• Replacing the existing traffic signal poles

• New accessible curb ramps
• Pedestrian countdown signals
• High visibility crosswalks
• Traffic signal controllers
• Updating traffic signal indications with high visibility backplates
  
  • These backplates are more visible in both daytime and nighttime conditions and are a recognized proven safety countermeasure for all users regardless of selected transportation mode, age, and ability.

Weather permitting, this project is scheduled for completion by Summer 2024.

During construction, there will be intermittent lane and sidewalk closures. Please give our construction workers extra space and slow down when you see orange cones in the work zones.

This $1.2 million project is funded through the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA).

For more information on the Department, please visit us online at www.rva.gov/public-works or email us at AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter (X) @DPW_RichmondVA

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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

The City of Richmond was awarded $6 million dollars from the USDA for deep investments in equity-centered urban forestry efforts, in partnership with Groundwork RVA, Southside ReLeaf, Happily Natural, and Virginia Interfaith Power & Light. The grant was part of the USDA’s Urban and Community Forestry Grants program, which awarded $1 billion in awards across the country. The city’s $6 million investment represents the largest award in the State of Virginia.

"The City of Richmond already shines as a beacon of progress, and with this $6 million grant from the USDA we can continue to cultivate a future where equity-centered urban forestry flourishes,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “Our city is honored to receive the largest investment in the State, allowing us to forge a path for cities across the Commonwealth to follow."

This collaborative effort will be focused on Black and Brown-led, coalition-based urban greening and support the development of an Urban Forest Master Plan, tree plantings, conducting a tree canopy assessment, engage youths, adults, and faith-based organizations, advance green workforce development, and remove invasive species. The work will be targeted to areas of the community that are on the frontlines of climate change, often experiencing impacts first and worst.

“This is fantastic news for Richmonders, especially those in our redlined neighborhoods where tree canopy is scarce, and the heat island and health implications are profound. The size of this grant is testimony to both the need in Richmond and the strength of our community support for trees in our city. I’m thrilled to see the USDA investing not just in our city departments, but also in the outstanding community organizations who partnered on this grant,” says Councilmember Katherine Jordan.

Over the last several months, the City’s Office of Sustainability has been convening community-based organizations that are focused on delivering services to Black and Brown communities in an effort to apply for Federal funding. This grant award represents the first of what may be many that are focused on the nexus of climate change and equity.

“The Office of Sustainability is thrilled to help lead this effort as we continue equitable implementation of RVAgreen 2050 with a focus on environmental justice,” says Laura Thomas, Director of the Office of Sustainability. “We have been working to convene community partners to actively go after this historic funding in climate action and are dedicated to ensuring that the City of Richmond is the story of how this moment in Federal funding can transform a community.” Black and Brown-led community-based organizations are at the heart of this opportunity.

“This is where the rubber meets the road,” says Sheri Shannon, co-founder of Southside ReLeaf. “The city’s RVAgreen 2050 Climate Equity Action plan sets the path for how we build climate-resilient communities. Now we have funding that puts years of planning and advocacy by community members into action. For Richmond’s Southside, that means we’ll have additional resources to plant trees, create amazing green spaces and empower more residents to take climate action. Impacted communities should know their needs are being prioritized, and this grant allows us to move beyond visioning to real environmental justice.”

“We at Groundwork RVA are extraordinarily excited by this news, specifically because it highlights the environmental justice work that many of our Black and Brown-led CBOs have been doing for years. The City’s Office of Sustainability has done a tremendous job building partnerships to help push this work forward and hope that these funds help drive the implementation of environmental justice efforts in Richmond. We are grateful to all the partners that have been doing this work for years and are thrilled about the opportunity to come together to implement equity-centered sustainability efforts,” says Rob Jones, Executive Director of Groundwork RVA.

"Virginia Interfaith Power & Light is thrilled to be a collaborative partner with the city of Richmond, Groundworks RVA, Southside Releaf, and Happily Natural Day for this USDA Urban Forestry Grant award. The implementation of this award over the next few years will reduce the city’s “heat island effect,” expanding green space and improving air and water quality. I am especially excited about how this collaboration will impact workforce development to care for our planet and people by caring for the tree canopy in the greater Richmond area,” says Faith Harris, Director of Virginia Interfaith Power and Light. 

Visit rva.gov/sustainability to learn more about RVAgreen 2050 and how the city is dedicated to equitable climate action across the community.

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~ The project will improve safety, accessibility, and connectivity along the corridor ~

RICHMOND, Va.  – The City of Richmond Department of Public Works is seeking feedback on proposed conceptual designs for the Franklin Street Safety and Mobility Improvement Project along West Franklin Street from Lombardy Street to Belvidere Street. The project will connect to the existing two-way cycle track along Franklin Street from Belvidere Street to 9th Street. Feedback from the survey will be used to help guide design implementation and finalize plans. The survey will be available online through Sunday, September 24.

The proposed design includes:

• • Implementing a roadway conversion within the existing roadway cross-section to improve accessibility and safety for bicyclists by incorporating a two-way “cycle track” bicycle lane
    
    • A cycle track is a bike lane that is physically separated from the vehicle travel lane with some type of vertical barrier
  • Using the existing roadway width to either replace one vehicle travel lane, or reduce existing travel lane widths to accommodate the bicycle infrastructure

Please go to https://www.rva.gov/public-works/pedestrian-bicycling-and-trails and complete the survey by Sunday, September 24.

For more information on the Department of Public Works, please go to www.rva.gov/public-works or email us at AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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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.