The Virginia Street Project

By: Arthur Anderson

I am not sure if many of you know about the Virginia Street Bus RAPID Transit Extension Project. It is an ambitious project that has been in the planning stages for the last 18+ months and is scheduled to break ground in 2018. The project would, “… create connectivity between UNR, downtown Reno, and Midtown and will encourage economic development, enhance safety, and improve livability in the corridor. The Project addresses critical transportation needs including improving transit connectivity, efficiency, and timeliness through connecting RAPID to the University, improving safety for all modes, correcting ADA sidewalk deficiencies, and improving traffic operations.” You can read more about the project at the RTC website, http://virginiastreetrapidextension.com/.

As a property owner and having a vested interest in Double Edge Fitness at 1065 S. Virginia I have a concern about the potential impact both on my investment and on MidTown as a whole. But maybe my views are unfounded or biased, I’m not sure, so I’m reaching out to you our members, clients and residents of Reno to ask for your opinion.

The latest version and potential final version of the project removes the center turn lane on Virginia Street from Vassar to Liberty and replaces it with a two-foot median, leaving left turn lanes only at Taylor, Cheney, St Lawrence and California. The reason for this is so that the project can maintain 8 – 12 foot wide sidewalks to accommodate trees and not jeopardize on-street parking or ADA compliance. For our clients heading north on Virginia Street (towards downtown) you will not be able to turn left into Double Edge, you will continue to the roundabout at Mary and come back to Double Edge. And if you park on the North side of the building you will only be able to head south when you leave. My Question: Will this change have a negative impact on coming to Double Edge or no impact? And My Follow up Question is if you have to go an extra block or two to get to a business in MidTown will that negatively affect your view towards the MidTown district, would it steer you to go elsewhere?

My final concern is the look that this project will create for MidTown. Currently as you look down Virginia Street you see a hodge-podge of businesses along the street, which I think adds to the charm or eclectic-ness of the district. The project would homogenize the look by lining the street with wide sidewalks and trees. My Question: Do you think this will add or detract from the MidTown environment?

I would love to hear your opinions and if you have friends that you think would have some good input please pass them along this blog, or share it. Anyway thanks in advance for your comments.

 

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