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To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the total amount of $728,695.00 from the Virginia Department of Transportation and to amend Ord. No. 2025-058, adopted May 12, 2025, which accepted a program of proposed Capital Improvement Projects for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and the four fiscal years thereafter, adopted a Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, and determined a means of financing the same, to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Capital Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Public Works Bike Lanes/Boulevard (Street Conversions) project in the Transportation - Federal/State/Regional category by $728,695.00 for the purpose of funding the Bike Lanes/Boulevard (Street Conversions) project.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, is hereby authorized to accept funds in the total amount of $728,695.00 from the Virginia Department of Transportation for the purpose of funding the Bike Lanes/Boulevard (Street Conversions) project.
§ 2. That Ordinance No. 2025-058, adopted May 12, 2025, which accepted a program of proposed Capital Improvement Projects for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and the four fiscal years thereafter; adopted a Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, and determined a means of financing the same, be and is hereby amended by increasing the estimated revenues and the amount appropriated for expenditures by $728,695.00, and allotting to the Department of Public Works’ Bike Lanes/Boulevard (Street Conversions) project in the Transportation - Federal/State/Regional category by $728,695.00 for the purpose of funding the Bike Lanes/Boulevard (Street Conversions) project .
§ 3. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
DATE: October 7, 2025
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Dr. Danny Avula, Mayor
THROUGH: Odie Donald II, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Letitia Shelton, Director of Finance
THROUGH: Meghan K. Brown; Director of Budget & Strategic Planning
THROUGH: Bobby Vincent Jr.; Director of Public Works
FROM: M.S. Khara, P.E.; City Engineer
RE: TO AMEND THE FY 2026 ADOPTED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE $728,695.00 HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP) FUNDS FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (VDOT) TO “BIKE LANES/BOULEVARD (STREET CONVERSIONS)” PROJECT (AWARD NO. 501168; PROJECT NO. 108804).
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To amend Ord. No. 2025-058, adopted May 12, 2025, which adopted the FY26 Capital Improvement Plan, and to authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in the amount of $728,695.00, and to appropriate such funds to the FY 2025-2026 Capital Budget in the Transportation-Federal/State/Regional category for the existing “Bike Lanes/Boulevard (Street Conversions)” project (Award No. 501168; Project No. 108804).
BACKGROUND: On December 4, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. No. 114-94), the first federal legislation in over a decade to provide long-term funding certainty for surface transportation infrastructure planning and investment. The FAST Act authorized $305 billion in funding for fiscal years 2016 through 2020, supporting a broad range of programs including highway and motor vehicle safety, public transportation, motor carrier safety, hazardous materials safety, rail, and transportation research and statistics. The FAST Act preserved the core structure of existing highway programs, maintained a strong emphasis on safety, continued efforts to streamline project delivery, and-significantly-introduced a dedicated federal funding source for freight-related projects.
In Virginia, VDOT evaluates Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) applications annually through a benefit-cost analysis focused on anticipated crash reduction. Selected projects are chosen through a competitive, statewide process and are incorporated into VDOT’s Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP).
This agreement follows Ordinance No. 2023-039, which authorized the Chief Administrative Officer to execute a Standard Project Administration Agreement between the City of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to accept funding through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The funding supports the implementation of dedicated bicycle infrastructure, including road diets, lane diets, and shared use paths with appropriate traffic control measures, in accordance with Richmond Connects and the Vision Zero Action Plan.
The adopted FY 2023 Capital Improvement Plan includes $150,000 for this project, and the adopted FY 2025 Plan includes an additional $1,350,000-totaling $1,500,000 in prior appropriations.
During the development of the 100% Opinion of Probable Construction Cost, a funding gap was identified. To address this shortfall, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) allocated an additional $807,895 in its FY 2025 Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), increasing the total project allocation to $2,307,895.
These HSIP funds are 100% reimbursable and do not require a local match from the City. However, VDOT will retain $79,200 for administrative costs, so the City is requesting a budget amendment to appropriate the remaining $728,695.
The City of Richmond is focused on improving the safety for those who bicycle and walk, including by providing improved infrastructure along many of our collectors and arterials, including several Federal and State Routes using an FHWA-supported systemic safety approach. This project focuses on roadway conversions from typical 4-lane undivided, and median-divided roadways to cross sections that incorporate bike lanes of all types (separated, buffered, “cycletracks”), utilizing low-cost safety improvements that can be widely deployed. Utilizing "road diets" and "lane diets" to facilitate the addition of dedicated bike infrastructure can be accomplished by reallocating roadway space primarily with pavement markings, delineators or physical separation and accompanying signage.
Pedestrian safety improvements at intersections along these corridors are also anticipated since these streets will see a reduction in the number of motor vehicle lanes, which reduces pedestrian exposure, especially with respect to multiple threat crashes (i.e. crossing multiple lanes of traffic that are not controlled). Since this is a systemic approach, the goal is to apply these countermeasures in a manner that also helps further develop a connected network of improved bikeways across much of the City of Richmond, facilitating safe and comfortable bicycling as a viable transportation option.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Safe and Healthy Streets Commission. A formal public hearing of this paper will also be conducted through City Planning Commission. The Department of Public Works recommends approval.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: Richmond 300 Master Plan; Vision Zero Action Plan. The City Planning Commission (CPC) will review for approval this Ordinance request. No other governmental entity needs to review.
FISCAL IMPACT: Revenue of $728,695. The FY 2026 City Budget to be amended to accept and appropriate $728,695 from the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and appropriate the revenue to the FY2026-FY2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget in the Transportation category for the existing “Bike Lanes / Boulevard (Street Conversions)” project (Award No. 501168 and Project No. 108804).
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon Adoption.
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: November 10, 2025
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: December 8, 2025
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent Agenda.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: City Planning Commission Meeting.
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Department of Public Works; City Attorney’s Office; Planning and Development Review; Department of Public Utilities; Finance Department; Budget and Strategic Planning; Copies also sent to: City Mayor (Dr. Danny Avula); Chief Administrative Officer (Odie Donald II); and City Attorney (2).
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.:
• Ordinance 2023-039: Authorizing the execution of a Standard Project Administration Agreement between the City of Richmond and VDOT for the implementation of bicycle infrastructure improvements in accordance with the Richmond Bike Master Plan
• Ordinance 2025-058: Adopted FY26 Capital Improvement Program budget for the fiscal year beginning Jul. 1, 2025, and for the four fiscal years thereafter.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Ordinance No. 2023-039 City/State Project Administration Agreement
• Revised VDOT Appendix A - City State Agreement: Updated scope, schedule, and funding details for the HSIP-funded project.
STAFF: Prepared for: Mr. Bobby Vincent, Jr., Director, DPW 646-6444
Prepared by: M. S. Khara, P.E., City Engineer, DPW 646-5413
Coordinated by: Andy Boenau, Transportation Engineer Program Manager, 646-5745