Downtown
GRTC announces official start date for Pulse bus rapid transit service
The long-awaited project is wrapping up, and service will soon begin on the high-capacity, high-speed bus line running along Broad Street from Willow Lawn to Rocketts Landing.
After all of the construction, the detours, and the orange barrels, construction is finally wrapping up on the GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line.
The GRTC Pulse will open its doors to the public on Sunday June 24th, it was announced early Monday morning. Thr project is on budget and will be completed just ahead of contractor Lane Construction’s contractual obligation date of June 30th.
The high capacity rapid transit system will run a 7.6-mile route along Broad Street and Main Street, from Rocketts Landing in the City of Richmond to Willow Lawn in Henrico County.
“We are excited to see this project connect residents, workers and visitors in our city,” Mayor Levar Stoney said in a prepared statement. “One quarter of the city’s population and two thirds of all jobs in Richmond are within a half mile of the Pulse. This new service, when integrated with our new Richmond Transit Network Plan, can become the transit heartbeat of our thriving city.”
“Henrico County is excited about the needed and enhanced connectivity that the Pulse will provide to the county’s expanded GRTC service and the opportunities this service will afford our citizens,” Henrico Board of Supervisors chair Frank Thornton added.
Prior to opening to the public, Lane Construction will continue with some remaining work at the stations, such as landscaping, lights, totem signage, station glass, station ceilings, and other work. Some roadway work is expected to continue, including forming pedestrian curb ramps, as well as sidewalk repairs.
Operational exercises involving the new fleet of buses will continue into May. During this time, drivers, cylists, and pedestrians are asked to pay close attention to traffic signage, lane markings and signalization, according to GRTC spokeswoman Carrie Rose Pace.
“Our team is excited to welcome the public aboard on June 24th to experience a world-class bus rapid transit service,” GRTC CEO David Green said. “GRTC is committed to providing clean, safe, and reliable transportation; to that end, we ask for the public’s attention to new travel patterns. This increased awareness is essential for the safety for all users of the roadway.”
The same day the Pulse service launches, new bus routes and improvements to existing lines will also take effect. GRTC teamed up with the City of Richmond to rework the area’s transit system through the Richmond Transit Network Plan, and the result will mean faster, more consistent service throughout the day, along with easier connections, which you can learn more about here.
Several Henrico County service adjustments will also begin Pulse launch week on Monday, June 25th. Enhanced weekday service every 30 minutes to Richmond International Airport, a major employer in Henrico’s East End, will be available on the Route 7 A/B Nine Mile Henrico.
Taking advantage of the efficiency provided by the Pulse, the Route 19 Pemberton will offer more frequent service every 30 minutes between Willow Lawn and Pemberton and Broad.
Also in the West End, Henrico’s new Route 79 Patterson/Parham will extend farther west to Quioccasin and Gaskin Roads at the Gayton Crossing Shopping Center. Additional Henrico County transit expansions are planned for fall of this year.
The fare to ride the Pulse is the same as local routes at $1.50 per ride or $0.75 for reduced fare customers. The Pulse is free to ride for CARE customers.
