June P&T Updates
RamRide not in service on July 4; alternate parking available
On Wednesday, July 4 (Independence Day), RamRide will not be in operation. As a reminder, this includes service to the remote lots as well as the Campus Connector.
Due to this closure, all W Deck, K Deck, Coliseum Deck, RTD Deck, A Lot, I Lot, M Lot and R Lot employee subscribers will be permitted to park in the D Deck and N Deck during this time.
RamRide will resume normal service on Thursday, July 5.
June 26 – Upcoming D Deck Restoration Project
The D Deck, originally built in the early 1970s, is currently VCU’s oldest parking facility. In 2015, VCU Parking and Transportation embarked on a year-long renovation project to restore several structural elements within the D Deck. This restoration work, consisting of structural repairs, drainage improvements, stair tower repairs, elevator modernization, and lighting enhancements, would extend the life of this important facility by nearly 20 years. While we were able to complete a majority of these essential repairs, due to pending construction plans, this project was temporarily suspended until further notice.
We are pleased to report that we will continue with the D Deck restoration efforts, beginning on Monday, July 9. As part of this project, crews will address structural repairs as well as perform preventative maintenance tasks, such as sealcoating and corrosion protection. The working plan will consist of a process similar to previous restoration efforts, with crews closing 250 parking spaces at one time while advancing throughout the deck levels.
The entire restoration project is expected to be completed by March 2019.
We will maintain frequent communication throughout the construction process, notifying you as crews close each level. Please note, ADA parking spaces may be relocated to alternate levels as work progresses; however, we will communicate the location of these spaces when this occurs. Additionally, while long-term relocation is not expected, it is possible that there will be a day when D Deck reaches capacity. During these infrequent times, staff will be on-site to temporarily redirect subscribers to an alternate parking facility. We will utilize our text alert service to communicate these temporary closures to subscribers as they occur. If you are not currently enrolled in the text service, we strongly encourage you to enroll. You may view instructions for enrollment at go.vcu.edu/parkingalerts.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation and look forward to a successful and timely construction process. As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding this project, feel free to contact customer service at 828-PARK (7275).
June 22 – A Lot Storm Damage
Due to the severe storm that occurred last night, portions of gravel have been washed away from the surface of the lot.
Please use caution when entering and exiting the A Lot, as severe weather is predicted to occur later today, which has the potential to cause additional washout of the gravel surface.
We will be restoring the gravel in this facility on Saturday, June 23.
June 19 – New MCV Campus Customer Service Hours Effective July 1
Beginning on July 1, 2018, the MCV Campus customer service office and call center will open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Our Monroe Park Campus customer service office will continue to operate from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
As a reminder, our motorist assistance services are always available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In the event you are in need of these services while parked in one of our facilities, you may reach the enforcement supervisor directly by calling (804) 971-0450.
June 18 – Upcoming I Lot Parking Impacts
A large convention is taking place at the Richmond Convention Center beginning this weekend and will be utilizing the I Lot from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on designated Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from June 22 to August 5.
All I Lot subscribers will be granted access to the Eighth Street Deck on the following dates and are encouraged to park here during these times for easier ingress and egress when parking.
Friday, June 22 to Sunday, June 24
Friday, June 29 to Sunday, July 1
Friday, July 13 to Sunday, July 15
Friday, July 20 to Sunday, July 22
Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29
Please note, your hangtag permit and/or VCUCard will grant you access into the Eighth Street Deck. You should not pull a ticket for entry into this facility. In the event you encounter any issues, please press the “i” button, located on the entrance/exit lane readers, for immediate assistance.
June 18 – Thank you
We would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for the patience and cooperation you have shown Parking and Transportation and VCU Police over the course of these past two weeks. Your support has played an important role in our ability to conduct yet another successful high school graduation period as well as make a positive impact on more than 6,000 graduates and their families.
While we understand that relocation is never a popular option for subscribers, our teams worked hard to ensure we minimized inconveniences as much as possible this year through the extended shuttle times, addition of Henry Street Deck as an alternate parking option and reduction in relocation days. Because of your assistance, each day, traffic flowed smoothly throughout the area, and thousands of graduates and guests were able to celebrate these important milestones safely and enjoyably.
Due to the continued success of these initiatives, we will likely continue with these operational efforts for next year’s events; however, we will continue to evaluate additional opportunities to improve service and efficiency for subscribers. In the event you would like to provide feedback regarding the high school graduation process, please feel free to email parking@vcu.edu.
Again, we would like to say thank you for your support and assistance in making this year’s high school graduation period a success.
Sincerely,
John Venuti
Chief of Police, VCU Police Department
Clayton Harrington
Director, VCU Parking and Transportation
June 14 – RTD Deck – Level 2 Temporarily Unavailable June 19
On Tuesday, June 19, from 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m., the second floor of the RTD Deck will be unavailable for subscriber parking due to a special event. Please utilize the third and fourth parking levels of this facility during these times.
June 12 – Prestwould Alley Closed June 13 to 14
On Wednesday, June 13 at 5 p.m. through Thursday, June 14 at 5 p.m., crews will close Prestwould Alley (alley leading to Grace Street between the EE Lots) for maintenance. During the closure, the EE Lots will still remain accessible from Grace Street and Pine Street.
June 8 – New Shuttle Stop Added for High School Graduations
have received several requests for an additional shuttle stop at Shafer and Franklin streets during the relocation period for high school graduations.
Due to this feedback, we have incorporated the new stop into the existing shuttle route, effective today.
Subscribers impacted by the relocation may now utilize one of the following stops to travel to and from their alternate parking facilities:
- Jefferson Street Deck entrance
- West Cary Street Deck entrance (across the street)
- Intersection of Harrison and Franklin streets
- Intersection of Franklin and Laurel streets
- Intersection of Shafer and Franklin streets
Shuttles will run in a continuous loop to and from these locations from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. today and from June 11 to 15. Additional information regarding high school graduation subscriber impacts can be found online at https://parking.vcu.edu/special-events/high-school-graduations.
June 7 – Testing M Lot Pilot Route Beginning June 11
Beginning on Monday, June 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., we will be running an M Lot pilot route in efforts to potentially decrease headways and bypass the late afternoon traffic on 14th Street.
As part of this pilot program, one M Lot bus will return to Sanger Hall via Commerce Road and 9th Street, which mimics the R Lot route. Please note, though you will be able to view the pilot bus en route, its estimated arrival time will not be accurate. The two remaining M Lot buses will not be impacted by this pilot and will be available for tracking on Transloc.
A supervisor will remain onsite at Sanger Hall for passenger assistance.