VCU Warns About Upcoming Traffic

From VCU press release:

RICHMOND, Va. (June 1, 2016) – The Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department expects an increase in traffic near VCU’s Monroe Park Campus and around the Stuart C. Siegel Center during high school graduation ceremonies starting Tuesday, June 7. Twenty-seven high schools from Richmond and Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent counties and a technical school will host ceremonies at the Siegel Center between June 7 and June 18.

Graduating students and their guests are advised to arrive early at the Siegel Center. Attendance for the ceremonies is expected to range from 2,500 to more than 6,000. In anticipation of these events, VCU Police, VCU Parking and Transportation, the City of Richmond Transportation Engineering Division and the Richmond Police Department have established a regional traffic plan and have added staffing.

Law enforcement officers will be directing traffic around the Siegel Center before and after each graduation. Guests with mobility impairment can be dropped off in front of the Siegel Center on Broad Street, near the intersection of Broad and North Harrison streets.

“Our goal is to keep drivers and pedestrians moving as quickly and safely as possible through the area,” said VCU Police Capt. Sean Ingram. “Drivers in Richmond may want to consider alternate routes to avoid heavy traffic before and after the ceremonies. We appreciate the public’s patience during one of the busiest times of year at the Siegel Center.”

Attendees with blue or red parking passes, issued by area schools, can park in either the West Broad Street Parking Deck at 1111 W. Broad St. or at the Bowe Street Parking Deck at 601 Bowe St. The Siegel Center is located at 1200 W. Broad St.

2016 Siegel Center Graduation Schedule
(Doors open one hour prior to the start of each ceremony.)

Tuesday, June 7

3 p.m., St. Gertrude High School

Thursday, June 9

10 a.m., Thomas Dale High School
2:30 p.m., Clover Hill High School
7 p.m., Monacan High School

Friday, June 10

10 a.m., Cosby High School
2:30 p.m., Manchester High School
7 p.m., Matoaca High School

Saturday, June 11

10 a.m., James River High School
2 p.m., Midlothian High School

Monday, June 13

10 a.m., Meadowbrook High School
2:30 p.m., L.C. Bird High School
7 p.m., Carver College and Career Academy

Tuesday, June 14

11 a.m., Henrico High School
3 p.m., Highland Springs High School
7 p.m., Glen Allen High School

Wednesday, June 15

11 a.m., Hermitage High School
3 p.m., J.R. Tucker High School
7 p.m., Deep Run High School

Thursday, June 16

11 a.m., Varina High School
3 p.m., Douglas S. Freeman High School
7 p.m., Mills E. Godwin High School

Friday, June 17

1 p.m., ECPI
7 p.m., New Kent High School

Saturday, June 18

8:30 a.m., Hanover High School
Noon, Patrick Henry High School
3:30 p.m., Atlee High School
7 p.m., Lee-Davis High School

10K Traffic on Idlewood

Photos this morning of traffic on Idlewood, mainly from the Monument 10K race. You can see where it’s backing up 195 Belvidere exit.

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Speaking of Idlewood, Mayoral candidate/citizen activist Rick Tatnall recently inquired with Councilperson Parker Agelasto about the upcoming Idlewood roundabout project. Agelasto says that the project has been hung up by the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority and legal paperwork for a small easement on RMTA property. There should be a resolution soon on this. It will then go out for bids and construction with the hopes of being completed this year.

Public Masturbation Reported

VCU Commonwealth Times newspaper is reporting that there have been repeated complaints about a public masturbator on the 195 overpass bridge on S. Laurel Street.

Excerpt:

On Oct. 28 at 9:30 p.m., junior advertising major Meredith Berger was walking to the library from her home in Oregon Hill when she was warned of a man publicly masturbating on the South Laurel St. Bridge.

“I was about to cross the bridge that is on Laurel going over the highway in Oregon Hill and was stopped by this girl,” Berger said. “She told me I should cross the street because there was this guy publicly masturbating.”

According to Berger, the young woman who stopped her seemed disturbed by the incident.

“She was really upset by this and she was really very adamant that I be on the other side of the street and not deal with him,” Berger said. “She was really nice though and made a lot of effort to stop me.”

Both Berger and her roommate, junior interior design major Noshin Faruque, described this man as African American, medium build and medium height in his late 30s to early 40s.

Faruque said she has come across this suspect five times.

Traffic Closures

From City release:

Traffic Advisory – Street Closure – Main and Franklin Streets

WHEN: Starting at 7:00 am on October 10 and ending at 7:00 pm on October 11.

BACKGROUND: Franklin Street between North Harrison and North Laurel Streets will be closed to dismantle the pedestrian bridge at VCU. Follow the road signs.

Also, detour at the intersection of S. Laurel and China Streets. It looks like some manhole work is being done. There are some weird parking restrictions as well.

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