Richmond asks CVTA for about $12.96 million to close Diamond District infrastructure shortfall

The City of Richmond requested roughly $12,960,000 in regional transportation funds to cover a shortfall for roads, signals, stormwater and streetscape work in the Diamond District.

The request was made during the CVTA meeting on Oct. 9, when Richmond representatives said competitive bids for the next phase of work produced a funding gap the city needs to fill before the next regular programming cycle. The authority added the request to the agenda and later voted to send the request back to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for validation and asked staff to review all potential funding sources that could cover the emergency need.

City of Richmond officials described the Diamond District as a regional amenity tied to the new ballpark and surrounding development. A Richmond speaker said the stadium will have capacity for 10,000 and that more than 70% of minor-league attendance typically comes from outside the city, framing the infrastructure work as having regional benefits. The city identified the $12,960,000 gap as the amount needed to execute the next phase of street, signal, stormwater and streetscape work.

CVTA TAC had considered the request as an amendment to its agenda earlier the week and, after questions about alternate funding and eligibility, recommended that the city follow the authority's regional project selection and allocation framework for out-of-cycle requests. That framework requires applicants to submit an application to the executive director, TAC validation that the project cannot wait for the regular cycle, staff review of fund availability, and ranking/eligibility analysis before TAC recommends action to the authority.

At the Oct. 9 meeting New Kent County Chair Moyer moved that TAC validate the need for an out-of-cycle request and that CVTA staff check for available funds and reprogramming options. The motion was seconded and approved by roll call (Chesterfield County, Carroll — Aye; Henrico County, Nelson — Aye; Goochland County, Spoonhauer — Aye; New Kent County, Chair Moyer — Aye; City of Richmond, Maribula — Aye; Commonwealth Transportation Board, Davis — Aye).

City staff and multiple board members emphasized that off-cycle requests must follow the same due diligence and scoring process as regular rounds because state code requires data-driven evaluation of regional projects. TAC staff said the city was agreeable to following the off-cycle checklist and that TAC would validate whether the project is eligible and cannot wait until the next round.

Richmond staff also said the Diamond District design work includes right-of-way for the Fall Line Trail segment along Hermitage Road; City of Richmond Department of Public Works representative Tyrone Moore Clark said securing the right-of-way does not build the trail but reduces future construction costs, and he estimated the Fall Line Trail segment at about $14.14 million, subject to refinement.

Next steps are procedural: TAC will evaluate eligibility and timing under the off-cycle checklist and return options to the authority, and staff will identify funding pots and reprogramming choices so the authority can avoid creating gaps or interfering with other committed projects.

Votes at a glance: The authority voted to add the Richmond emergency request to the agenda (motion approved by voice vote/roll call) and later voted by roll call to ask TAC to validate the out-of-cycle need and for staff to check fund availability. The motion to direct TAC and staff passed with all members recorded as "Aye."