Posted January 21, 2026

~ 30-day warning period will begin at four locations ~

RICHMOND, VA – The City is expanding its Safety Camera Program to include red-light enforcement, reinforcing its commitment to improving traffic safety and reducing serious crashes at high-risk intersections.

This update follows the initial announcement released last September and reflects significant progress now underway to include cameras that document violations when vehicles fail to stop at red lights.

Four red-light safety cameras have been fully installed and will become operational soon. A 30-day warning period will begin January 30 (weather permitting), during which drivers who run red lights at these locations will receive a warning notice rather than a citation. The initial four pilot locations are: 

• 25th Street at Main Street

• Belvidere Street at Cary Street

• Chamberlayne Avenue at Brookland Park Boulevard

• Chamberlayne Avenue at Laburnum Avenue

After the warning period ends, red-light violations captured by these cameras will receive a $50 citation (per Code of Virginia). The citation will be issued to the registered owner of the vehicle for each violation.

Drivers should:

• Slow down, especially as lights turn yellow. Yellow means prepare to stop – not speed up
• Stop fully at red lights. Entering the intersection after the light turns red is a violation.
• Pay attention and avoid distractions.
• Plan ahead and leave earlier to provide additional time

Red-light running causes hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries across the country each year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2022 alone, more than 1,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 were injured in crashes caused by people driving through red lights. Cities that implement safety cameras have seen fatal red-light running crashes drop by as much as 21%.

In addition to the four completed installations, six additional pilot locations are currently under construction across the city. They include the following locations: 

• Mechanicsville Turnpike at Fairfield Way

• Belt Boulevard at Hull Street Road 

• Cowardin Avenue / Richmond Highway at Hull Street 

• German School Road at Midlothian Turnpike 

• Commerce Road at Maury Street 

• Hull Street at Warwick Roads

For more information on Richmond’s safety camera program, visit rva.gov/police/safety-camera-program.

For more information on Vision Zero, visit rva.gov/public-works/vision-zero

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on X @DPW_RichmondVA 

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 225 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk, and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages Main Street Station and the RVA Bike Share program. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

Richmond, VA - The City of Richmond is inviting residents to take part in a series of Budget Town Halls, providing a forum for shared community input on Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget priorities and an opportunity to better understand how the City's budget is developed and executed.

The town halls, which will be held in neighborhoods and community centers across the City, will include representatives from City departments and will feature engaging, interactive sessions to walk residents through the budget process, including how revenues are allocated, how funding decisions are made, and how community input will be considered and incorporated into the proposed budget.

"We want Richmonders to feel welcomed, informed, and comfortable engaging in open conversation about the City's budget," said Mayor Danny Avula. "These town halls are about walking through how the budget process works, answering questions, and creating space for residents to share their thoughts and ideas."

The City's annual budget supports core services and investments, including public safety, housing, infrastructure, schools, parks, neighborhoods services, and more over a fiscal year period (July 1 - June 30). Every March, the Mayor is required to submit a budget proposal to City Council for consideration. The proposal aligns funding with administrative and Council priorities and once approved by City Council, allows the City to execute funds against those priorities.

"Together, as taxpayers and as administrators, we own, operate, use, and benefit from these services on a daily basis," said Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II. "Our goal is to make this process transparent, accessible, and fun so that Richmonders can participate in a variety of formats. The sessions are as much about listening as they are explaining; by simulating the full process for all to understand, we can open the floor to more productive and impactful dialogue about how taxpayer dollars can and should be spent."

The full town hall schedule is included below. Please note that registration is required for participation. Links to register will be added to go.rva.gov/engage and posted to the City's social media channels as they become available. Those interested in the Jan. 20 event may register here.

Members of the media who are interested in joining should email [email protected]

Town Hall Schedule

These events will range in capacity based on location. Residents who are unable to attend in person are encouraged to attend the virtual town hall session or complete an online survey, to be made public on January 20.

Additional information about the town halls and the City's FY27 budget process will be made available at go.rva.gov/engage.

Media RSVPs: [email protected]

RICHMOND, Va. - The inauguration of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger will be held at noon on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Capitol Square. Multiple streets in and around the Capitol complex will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. to support the event. Roadways will begin reopening at approximately 4 p.m.

The following street closures will be in effect:

Beginning at 7:00 a.m.

• N. 9th Street between Main and Broad Streets
• Grace Street between 8th and 9th Streets
• Bank Street between 9th and 12th Streets

Beginning at 8:30 a.m.

• Eastbound Broad Street between 9th and 14th Streets 

Closed to all but event traffic beginning at 8:30 a.m.

• Eastbound Broad Street between 7th and 9th Streets
• N. 14th Street between Broad and Main Streets

Beginning at 12:30 p.m.

• N. 8th Street between Broad and Grace Streets

Sound Advisory

The public should also expect loud blasts on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at approximately 12:31 p.m. around Richmond's Capitol Square and downtown area. Members of the Virginia Army National Guard will conduct a howitzer cannon fire and artillery salute, and members of the Virginia Air National Guard will conduct a miliary aircraft flyover as a scheduled part of the inauguration ceremony. There is no risk to public safety. 

For more information on the inauguration, visit www.spanbergerinauguration.com.

The City of Richmond will be closed Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. All city offices, including City Hall, will be closed. We will return to our regular business hours on Tuesday, January 20. Keep reading for information about City service schedules during the holiday weekend.

"A day on, not a day off": While City offices are closed, City staff and partners are involved in a range of service activities on MLK Day. For information about getting involved with City volunteer projects, please visit cfengage.org.

• There will be no trash collection or bulk and brush collection on Monday, January 19. All collections will be delayed by one day. Collections scheduled for pick-up on Monday will be picked up on Tuesday and so on through Friday, January 23.
• The East Richmond Road Convenience Center (ERRCC) Landfill, located at 3800 East Richmond Road, will be open on Saturday, January 17, and will be closed on Monday, January 19. ERRCC will reopen on Tuesday, January 20.
• Recycling services will operate as normal on Monday, January 19.
• All Richmond Public Libraries are closed on Monday, January 19, and will reopen on Tuesday, January 20.
• RVA311 will be open Saturday, January 17, and will be closed on January 19. The public will have 24/7 access to self-service via RVA311.com and mobile apps.
• Richmond Public Schools are closed for students on January 14 for the end of the semester, and then both Richmond Public Schools and offices are closed on January 19. They will reopen on Tuesday, January 20.
• Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities: All offices and community centers are closed Monday, January 19.
• Department of Public Utilities: DPU Call Center is closed Monday, January 19. For utility emergencies, customers should call 804-646-4646 and press Option 1. For gas leaks, leave the area and call 911.
• Richmond Animal Care and Control will be closed on Monday, January 19. RACC will reopen by appointment only on Tuesday, January 20, and will have regular walk-in hours on Wednesday, January 21.

Richmond, VA - The City of Richmond has issued a temporary pause in the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program, effective Jan. 1, 2026, in order to make improvements aimed at strengthening program administration and improving efficiency so that financial assistance can be delivered more quickly and effectively to Richmond homeowners and renters experiencing financial hardship.

"The core mission of the program, to provide critical housing stability support for residents in need, will remain unchanged," said Director of Finance Letitia Shelton. "This pause allows us to improve how the program operates so we can better serve applicants and ensure funds are reaching those who need them most."

In a memo sent to the Finance and Economic Development Committee earlier today, Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II outlined some of the challenges faced in implementing the program, including limited staffing, incomplete submissions, and manual processing constraints.

"Simply put, this pause was not communicated clearly to Richmonders in need," he said. "The best apology is often corrected behavior. The singular focus of the administration is to strengthen program delivery and accountability so that, when the program returns, it is positioned to better meet the urgent needs of our residents."

Among the initial recommendations levied in the memo is one calling for outside support in the program's administration. "Although this program is an important and much needed service to the Richmond community," the memo reads, "it is not a core function for the Department of Finance. Securing the services of an outside vendor would drastically improve the service and free up Finance staff to focus on core services."

The City will continue to review and process applications that were received on or before December 31. Applicants who submitted materials by that date do not need to take any additional action at this time and payments to those qualified will continue.

At the conclusion of the review period, the Department of Finance will announce next steps on the program's reintroduction. Residents are encouraged to monitor the City's website and social media channels for the latest information.

About the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program

Introduced at the end of 2024 for a 2025 rollout, the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program is a first-come, first-serve housing relief program that offers a one-time payment of $1200 for rental or mortgage payment assistance to qualifying applicants. This program is jointly operated by the Department of Finance and the Department of Social Services to provide financial assistance that helps fill the gap for low-income households in the City of Richmond.

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