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Planning commission hears update on Mosby Street LQC bus platform; staff to keep monitoring
Summary
City staff reported early user feedback and driver observations after installation of a modular bus boarding platform on Mosby Street. The Planning Commission heard survey results, a GRTC driver questionnaire and staff recommendations to continue monitoring; an engineer recommended delaying ‘‘centerline hardening.’’
Kelly Rowan, with the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility, updated the City of Richmond Planning Commission on an installed lighter‑quicker‑cheaper (LQC) bus boarding platform and related traffic‑calming work on Mosby Street.
Rowan said the modular platform, made from recycled plastic and installed to match the site, was part of a broader traffic‑calming project that included flex posts and planters. “We have collected so far 23 post‑installation surveys,” she said, and staff gathered about 50 public responses overall through onsite and paper surveys. Rowan told commissioners that survey responses so far trend toward increased feelings of safety for pedestrians and people boarding buses.
The presentation included a short driver survey conducted with GRTC operators. Guy Roach of GRTC, who helped design the driver survey, said the driver responses showed little change in the rate at which vehicles pass buses while operators were servicing the stop. Rowan said on‑site observation over five hours on different days found roughly 12 percent of cars trapped behind a stopped bus passed it; staff also noted that the pass rate appeared consistent with pre‑installation observations.
Rowan said staff met with the city traffic engineer, who advised against immediate installation of a centerline hardening measure that had been discussed. The proposed measure—placing quick‑curb elements and flex posts in the double yellow centerline to prevent vehicles from driving around buses—was described as likely to create debris and possibly increase hazards where drivers struck posts. “Our engineer said, hold off,” Rowan said; staff will continue to monitor the site.
Staff recommended continued monitoring of boardings, passing behavior, and speeds and volumes. Rowan said speed/volume data require additional processing and likely will be available in roughly three to six months; staff offered to return with refreshed survey and observational data in about six months.
Commissioners asked about details of the surveys and drivers’ responses. Commissioner White asked whether an “NA” response in the driver data meant drivers did not experience a particular situation; Roach said paper surveys sometimes omitted answers and staff conservatively coded those responses as not applicable. Rowan confirmed most public surveys were completed on paper by outreach staff engaging pedestrians near the site.
The presentation closed with staff noting the platform has received positive public attention and that the overall traffic‑calming package remains under active evaluation. Staff said permanent changes would be considered after a monitoring period of three to five years, and the platform could be removed or made permanent based on longer‑term evaluation.
