RTC will be holding two upcoming community meetings to review and discuss plans to make Virginia Street in MidTown more pedestrian-friendly, and expand RAPID Transit north to UNR.
Back in January I attended a RAAB meeting and reported on it here. To save you a link-click and recap:
"This project extends from Midtown to the University. The RAPID line has one of the highest ridership numbers of all the RTC routes. The plan is to extend RAPID to the University of Nevada and add three stops; One near 9th Street, one near the Davidson Academy, and one near Lawler. The RAPID buses would then circle a roundabout near the main parking garage entrance of UNR, and then head back downtown. The Midtown side of this project involves narrowing car travel lanes on Virginia Street, and widening the dangerously narrow sidewalks along Virginia Street, add bulb-outs at street crossings, landscaping, and some sort of historic-looking lighting, much like the 'pilot' project that extends one block north from Mt. Rose Street, where Stremmel and Miguel's Mexican Restaurant are located. This will be welcome relief for those who attend event like the Midtown Art Walk, where people end up walking along in the street or parking lanes because the sidewalks are so narrow. This year the project will enter the engineering phase, and is fully funded for this phase. In 2017 construction should begin. The project is $11 million short in funding for the construction phase, but RTC was accepted into a federal grant program that 'should' pay for the shortfall in funding."
In other words, this project is a long way out from happening, and nowhere near fully-funded, but we're now in the public comment phase, so that means you, my readers.
If you'd like to attend and see what RTC has planned for South Virginia and North Virginia, here are two upcoming meetings.
Tuesday, April 14
- 5 to 7 p.m. with a brief presentation at 5:30 p.m.
- served by RTC RAPID
- The Discovery Museum
- 490 South Center Street
- Reno, NV 89501
Wednesday, April 15
- 5 to 7 p.m. with a brief presentation at 5:30 p.m.
- served by RTC SIERRA SPIRIT and RTC RIDE route 7
- University of Nevada, Reno, Raggio Building, room 4001
- 1664 North Virginia Street
- Reno, NV 89503
For eligible RTC ACCESS reservations, call (775) 348-5438. Pursuant to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, special accommodations may be requested by calling (775) 348-0480 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
I am really excited about the chance to improve the street in Midtown. Great streets are a platform for strong towns. I will be attending these public workshops. Unfortunately, I believe, RTC's current plans are not good enough. In general, the current plan is to widen the sidewalks, which should be celebrated (although, I imagine RTC was only one ADA lawsuit away from being forced to do this anyway). Really nothing is being done to make the street more hospitable. A minor reduction in speed limit will not be enough to make the street really good for people. I fear the street will still be too wide, too fast, and over engineered "to accommodate all users". Should Midtown be a corridor to move cars and people through quickly? Or will it be a place that people will come to enjoy the best of Reno's local bars, restaurants, and small businesses? We need to ask ourselves what we want the street to "feel" like. Personally, I want it to feel like a great Main Street. I want it to narrow enough that you can cross traffic it in a few steps. I want it to have street trees (something that will not fit on the current plan in many places). I want traffic to be slow, but flow better. This will make it possible to have outside cafe seating. I want the street to be so good that people "sitting" on empty lots will either develop them or sell them - out of greed. Reno needs one great street. Let's convince RTC that Reno is ready for it!