RICHMOND, Va. -- About a decade ago, Brandon Goode picked up a pair of clippers and never looked back. As Goode grew in his craft, the barber shop where he now works sits in Manchester; one of the fastest developing parts of the city that's seen plenty of growth too.
“It’s good to get the buzz down in this end of Richmond," said Goode, who has lived in Richmond most of his life and now works at RVA Cutz on Hull Street. "It’s different. Totally different (laughs). But it’s good because it’s so much more we can bring to the city and enjoy the city more."
Large swaths of Hull Street just south of the James River that used to be home to industrial spaces have been converted into massive, modern housing complexes and retail space. All of the attention has led to increased traffic and safety concerns in Manchester.
More than 15,000 vehicles pass through Manchester on Hull Street each day, the city said. The Department of Public Works rolled out new traffic-easing measures in one part of Manchester on Tuesday afternoon.
At the intersection of Hull and West 5th Street, what used to be a long straight shot for drivers between the Mayo Bridge and Commerce Road, now sits an "all-way" stop. Department of Public Works workers installed new crosswalks and signage to make drivers aware.
DPW officials said the changes were paid for using their annual budget because they were relatively inexpensive and handled by in-house crews. The changing traffic pattern is designed to slow down traffic along Hull Street where development has exploded.
“I received a number of complaints from folks who said I love Manchester, but it is dangerous crossing Hull Street no matter the time of day," said Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. “It’s busy. There’s a lot of people there’s a lot of action, but we want folks to be safe as well when they’re doing business and living right here in Manchester.”
The new traffic pattern will take some adjusting. During a 15-minute stretch Tuesday, our crews saw at least a dozen vehicles blow right through the new "all way" stop.
"At the end of the day, we need folks to slow down. The public sector, us in local government can do our part, but also, we are asking for those who drive these vehicles to do their part as well. When you see someone in the crosswalk, slow down, stop," Stoney said.
While the changes will not fully alleviate the traffic issues in Manchester, DPW Director Bobby Vincent said more infrastructure improvements are in the queue for Manchester, to the tune of $100 million of work over the next few years.
"Not only focused on pedestrians but multi-modal. We’re looking at taking care of pedestrians, bicyclists, as well as individuals driving vehicles," Vincent said.
Some longtime residents feel Manchester has grown way too fast, a transformation that is forcing out some of the unique character of one of Richmond's older neighborhoods and bringing in more of the issues the city is now trying to fix.
Goode doesn't see it that way. He's focused on growth — as a barber and as a person — so he invites the opportunities the development brings along.
"That comes with the territory. That lets you know the city is growing and blossoming, becoming something special," Goode said. "The more people we get to come to the city, the more they help us become better people and make our home a better place to be.”
Vincent said some of the work they plan to begin in the coming years includes street-scape projects along both Hull Street and Commerce Road, as part of the Fall Line Trail project.
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