CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Tuesday for the Greater Richmond Transit Company's (GRTC) expansion of service into Chesterfield County.
The company added eight miles of service to its 1A route extending along Midlothian Turnpike through to the Walmart on Walmart Way.
"Very excited about the opportunity that GRTC has given to all of our constituents to more easily move around the county, more easily from Richmond into Chesterfield," said Midlothian District Supervisor Dr. Mark Miller. "Very much overdue and so glad that it's now happening."
Miller said while GRTC has provided the buses, he is committed to improving the pedestrian infrastructure along the route. Many of the stops along the route expansion sit at locations with no crosswalks or sidewalks.
"When it comes to putting in sidewalks and other ways of getting around the county, we have been so, I guess, automobile-centric for so long. So getting up and down Midlothian [Turnpike] and doing that safely," said Miller. "I would love to see a sidewalk, even a 10-foot wide path up and down - multi-use path - up and down Midlothian. I'd love to see it up and down Courthouse. I'd love to see it up and down, or at least sidewalks, on Huguenot. I see people walking all the time and it just feels unsafe."
GRTC said the expansion will connect tens of thousands more people through the extension that runs to the downtown transit station at the other end of the line.
"This is a great day for both the GRTC organization and also for the county to be able to link our citizens with jobs," said Bermuda District Supervisor and GRTC Board Member Jim Ingle. "Over 25,000 jobs in a 45-minute bus ride."
Ingle added this is the first of several expansions GRTC will roll out this year - including adding its Microtransit service to north Chesterfield on March 11, Ashland on March 18, and Powhatan on March 25.
"It'll take other areas that may not be ready for a full bus route. But, it can start to build that demand for a full bus route to come in, then allow them to be able to be connected to the bus route."
A GRTC spokesperson added in May, they are looking to extend the 1 bus up to Reynold Community College. In September, they are looking to use the 7A and B routes to provide service to Richmond International Airport every 15 minutes.
Among those who were on hand for Tuesday's ribbon-cutting were members of the public, including Darlene Palacios.
"This is amazing. This is really amazing. And I'm excited where it's going to take us," she said.
Palacios said her passion for a robust public transit system comes from her time in Chicago as a single mother where she had access to one.
"I was thankful that I was able to just step out my doorway and a bus was headed to take me to my job and to bring me back home even late at night. With that happening, it caused a lot of great things to happen in my life. And it helped me to receive a job that was paying great money. And then it helped me to flourish with my kids," said Palacios.
She said she noticed a similar system was not in place in the Richmond region when she moved here in the early 2000s and has advocated for its expansion in the past, despite now having access to a car. She said she and her church pushed for the Route 1 expansion.
"I would see mothers walking down Jefferson Davis, with the children behind, cars going 45 to 50 miles an hour. Very dangerous."
Along with route expansion, GRTC said it is also looking for a permanent home in Downtown Richmond and is holding a public meeting at the Richmond Main Library on January 25 to discuss potential sites for a permanent downtown transfer station, including ones that could involve a mixed-use development.
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