Richmond struggles to fix dangerous intersection after A.P. Hill statue removal

Richmond is still figuring out what to do about a Northside intersection nearly two years after removing the Confederate statue of A.P. Hill that stood in the middle of it.

Why it matters: Residents say the area, which is a block from an elementary school, is so unsafe for pedestrians that families avoid walking to school, per WTVR .

The big picture: The intersection has been a problem for a while.

• It was one of the top three spots for crashes on city streets from 2018 to 2023, and a month after the A.P. Hill removal, residents said the traffic patterns had only gotten more confusing.

The latest: The Department of Public Works released a 55-page study in August about potential changes to the Laburnum Avenue and Hermitage Road intersection and asked for feedback in a meeting earlier this month.

What they found: Drivers make right turns at unsafe speeds and often illegally make left turns during restricted peak hours.

• Traffic crashes, however, decreased 71% after the A.P. Hill statue removal from an average of 28 crashes per year to 8 in 2023.
• In the study's survey of 794 Northside residents, 74% said they didn't think the intersection was safe.

The study proposed six concepts ranging from $5.8million-$7.6 million:

• The least popular options, per the survey, were two that ban left turns and require median U-turns (these are the most expensive and estimated to reduce crashes the most, up to 61%).
• Two roundabout versions, which the study deemed "fair" for pedestrian bike safety but were among the most favored in the study.
• Two versions with left turn lanes, with one having a corner island to separate cyclists from drivers.

What's next: Residents can keep sharing thoughts to AskPublicWorks@rva.gov.