Projects & Plans

Expanding Access to Public Transportation in the Community

Get the details on upcoming work and share your voice to help shape the future of transit in the Richmond region!

Current Projects
Completed Projects
Completed Studies

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Current Projects:

GRTC provides a range of Essential Transit Infrastructure (ETI) at stops including, but not limited to, benches, trash cans, and shelters. ETI elements are intended to provide comfort, convenience, accessibility, safety, and dignity to riders.

Click Here for ETI Project Details

The success of the Pulse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has transformed how people move through the Richmond region by connecting riders to jobs, healthcare, education, and opportunity through faster, more reliable service.

Now, GRTC is building on that momentum with the North-South Pulse BRT, a 12 mile corridor with 30 stations connecting Northside, Downtown, and Southside Richmond to the existing Pulse line and beyond. Implemented in phases, the project is designed to improve travel times, expand access, and strengthen connections between neighborhoods and regional destinations.

Alongside the transit investment, GRTC and regional partners are advancing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) planning around key stations to support more walkable, connected communities with access to housing, businesses, and services.

The projects represent a major investment in the future of mobility across the Richmond region.

Learn More About the North-South Pulse Expansion Project

Learn More About the Transit-Oriented Development Project

Demand for transit service along W Broad Street is continuing to increase, and GRTC and Henrico County are working to meet it with a four-mile expansion of the existing Pulse west from Willow Lawn to Parham Road. This first extension of the Pulse will add eight new stations and additional dedicated lanes, expanding access to rapid transit deeper into Henrico County and adding key elements that do not currently exist in the Pulse system, such as a dedicated park and ride location. Pulse Western Extension is currently in Phase 2 of study, which includes preliminary design elements and National Environmental Policy Act work. Click here to learn more.

 

The future Downtown Transfer Hub will sit at the crossroads with the planned north south Pulse Bus Rapid Transit line, creating a central connection point for riders traveling throughout the city to improve connections, comfort, and reliability.

The project will deliver both a modern transit facility and long-term economic value for the city.

Learn More About the Permanent Downtown Transfer Hub

The creation of the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) by the 2020 General Assembly established new funds for priority transportation investments in the Richmond Region.

The two main sources of revenue are regional sales and use tax (0.7%) and wholesale gas and diesel tax (7.6 cents and 7.7 cents). The CVTA funds are allocated in three ways – 15% to GRTC, 50% to each participating locality proportionally, and 35% for regional projects. GRTC is required to develop a Regional Public Transportation Plan that identifies how GRTC plans to spend the 15% allocation. A micro-transit study was identified as a regional priority during the development of the FY2022 plan.

The microtransit study identified recommendations for a pilot program that launched in fall of 2023 – GRTC’s LINK Microtransit.

What is Microtransit?

Microtransit is on-demand, curb-to-curb public transportation that provides transit service in areas that might not support traditional fixed route bus demand.

Microtransit Pilot Program Overview 

The Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), partnered with consultant Michael Baker International, exploring the demand, need, potential, and feasibility for microtransit services in the Greater Richmond Region. The Greater Richmond Region includes the jurisdictions of Ashland, Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, and the City of Richmond.

Completed Projects:

With station upgrades complete, GRTC introduced the new articulated buses in summer 2025. These vehicles improved passenger flow, reduced dwell times, and significantly increased rider capacity—enhancing the overall Pulse experience as we grow with the region.

Why this project?

The existing 26 Pulse stations were originally designed to support approximately 3,500 daily passengers. Today, more than 6,100 riders rely on Pulse each day—leading to crowded buses and increasing demand. To meet this growing need, GRTC is expanding its fleet with articulated buses that offer more space, modern amenities, and a third door for quicker, more efficient boarding.

What was done?

To accommodate the larger buses and ensure all three doors align with the platform, GRTC made targeted modifications at each station, including:

  • Removal of sections of the brick “knee wall”
  • Replacement of station tiles and rubber guide rails for improved level boarding

Completed Studies:

Click the links below to read the Service Equity Analyses:

download this document January 2019 Service Changes

download this document Fall 2018 Service Changes

download this document Summer 2018 Service Changes

Click the link below to read the Greater RVA Transit Vision Plan:

download this document 2015 Transit Survey – Shaping the Future of GRTC’s Transit System

Click the link below to read the Micro-Transit Study:

download this document Richmond Region Micro-Transit Study – Final Report January 2023