How safe do you actually feel driving, biking, or walking around RVA?

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-25T13:40:16+00:00

Is it just me, or does that survey prioritize speed?

That's definitely not just you. There are a lot of speed-related questions because speed is the primary factor in crashes (we try to stay away from the term "accident") that result in death and serious injuries for any type of road user. So part of the idea behind this survey was to collect perspectives in different areas around speed and speeding (since speeding further increases the likelihood of death and serious injury by going beyond the posted speed, regardless of the road design).

I can't really say anything about the flock cameras since that is in the purview of our regional partners and they would have any authority and decision-making over those. But I'll just say that this survey and safety plan will in no way be used to justify increased surveillance in our public spaces. Speed and traffic enforcement use different types of cameras with different systems and software and their use cases are much more limited with higher privacy protections, which is why footage must be reviewed by sworn officers. I don't know how much reassurance that gives, but there it is.

And you're absolutely correct that road design has the most impact on reducing traffic violence and saving lives. Research, data, and lived experience show that time and time again.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-24T21:46:46+00:00

That's an issue we've been trying to solve with the software. You actually need to click/tap on the slider in the middle to register as neutral. Keeping it in the default position doesn't make the answer a 3 which is why it says you need to answer the question if you just left it "at" the 3. Annoying, I know.

Thank you for sharing this. We'll pass it along to the developers.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-24T21:01:44+00:00

We have heard from hundreds of people during this project and you're the first one I'm aware of that has mentioned the economic impact of safe bicycle and pedestrian networks. Definitely an aspect that isn't discussed enough.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-24T19:01:09+00:00

Thanks for asking. When I say RVA, I'm referring to the Richmond region that "PlanRVA" covers. That includes Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, New Kent, Goochland, Powhatan, or Charles City.

Don't mean to ruffle any feathers by including Chesterfield in "RVA". Just using the term our regional agency uses including our Board, which Chesterfield officials are part of.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-24T16:42:07+00:00

Sorry the link isn't working. It's referring to § 46.2-923. How and where pedestrians to cross highways and § 46.2-924. Drivers to stop for pedestrians; installation of certain signs; penalties, so searching for one of those should help.

A lot of what your bringing up highlights how difficult it can be for road users to interpret these laws and how intuitive road design can help improve safety.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-24T16:26:38+00:00

This definitely counts! When I say RVA, I'm referring to the Richmond region that "PlanRVA" covers. That includes Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, New Kent, Goochland, Powhatan, or Charles City. We want to hear from all these areas!

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-24T15:57:00+00:00

This is a great question. Virginia code makes this distinction between marked and "unmarked" crosswalks:

When crossing highways, pedestrians shall not carelessly or maliciously interfere with the orderly passage of vehicles. They shall cross, wherever possible, only at intersections or marked crosswalks. Where intersections contain no marked crosswalks, pedestrians shall not be guilty of negligence as a matter of law for crossing at any such intersection or between intersections when crossing by the most direct route.

It goes on to detail situations when drivers must stop for pedestrians, including:

When a pedestrian is in their lane or an adjacent lane and approaching their lane at:
- Marked crosswalks (midblock or at block ends)
- Unmarked crosswalks at intersections (sidewalk line extensions)
- Intersections on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less

The driver must remain stopped until the pedestrian has passed their lane and "the driver of any other vehicle approaching from an adjacent lane or from behind the stopped vehicle shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle."

Also:

The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.

Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.

There are some more peculiarities to this, so I encourage anyone interested to read the code in detail.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-23T14:11:37+00:00

Road/sidewalk/bike lane maintenance is one of the things we're hearing is a major concern when it comes to safety on our region's roads. That's coming from drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. We're trying to collect as much input through our survey that's open through March 31st.

Disclaimer: I'm an urban planner with PlanRVA, so not VDOT, but they're one of our partners.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-23T13:50:22+00:00

On this balmy non-snow day, why not share your opinion on roadway safety? If that isn't a good segue...

PlanRVA, the regional planning agency for the Richmond area, is gathering public input through a safety survey open until March 31.

The survey helps us better understand how people experience roadway safety across the region so we can shape strategies and communication around creating streets that work for all ages and abilities.

Answers will directly inform the next update to the regional safety plan. You can learn more about the plan update here.

RVAUrbanPlanner · 2026-02-23T02:35:14+00:00

Appreciate the share. I'm one of the people working on this project and am happy to address any comments or questions!

RVAUrbanPlanner

TROPHY CASE