The Richmond Department of Transportation announced the broader rollout on August 11, 2026. The work targets intersections on the city’s High Injury Network, where officials say lower-cost changes can be installed more quickly than major street reconstruction.

What residents may see

Planned treatments include high-visibility crosswalks, refreshed pavement markings, stop-control improvements and centerline hardening or related features intended to slow and tighten vehicle turns.

The city has not said every intersection will receive the same treatment. Construction also will not begin everywhere at once. Axios Richmond reported that work is expected to be staggered based on contractor availability and coordination with other nearby projects.

Residents, businesses, drivers, pedestrians and cyclists may therefore see localized lane, sidewalk or business and driveway-access disruptions as individual projects move forward.

Where the current map shows work

The city’s public Vision Zero map currently shows roughly 244 locations, but that is not the complete list for the more than 700-intersection program. Another 106 locations are expected to be added by this winter, according to Axios Richmond.

Current mapped concentrations include:

• Forest Hill Avenue, with roughly 30 locations
• West Broad Street, with 23
• Brookland Park Boulevard and Parkway, with 19
• Hull Street, with 18
• Chamberlayne Avenue, with 17
• Arthur Ashe Boulevard, with 16

Residents can use the public map to check whether a nearby intersection is currently listed, while keeping in mind that the map is expected to expand.

Second phase planned for 2027

The city expects to address approximately 350 additional intersections in a second phase, with design work or later construction planned for fall 2027. Those locations are expected to be released for public feedback in summer 2027.

Richmond has not published a total cost for the full program or a complete construction calendar. Individual schedules, treatment selections and start dates remain subject to further city coordination.

Axios reported that about 81% of fatal and serious-injury crashes from 2023 through 2025 occurred at intersections, citing Richmond’s in-progress update to its Vision Zero plan. The intersection program is intended to reduce crash risk and improve safety; it is not a guarantee that crashes will be eliminated.

Sources

• City of Richmond — City of Richmond Continues Commitment to Vision Zero
• Axios Richmond — Where Richmond's 700 intersection safety projects are going
• City of Richmond — Vision Zero Intersection Improvements Map

The draft is expected to address three land-use questions with potential consequences for homes, institutions and shared living arrangements across the city. Those questions include how many housing units may be allowed on a single residential lot, how places of worship are treated under zoning rules, and how many unrelated people may constitute a household.

Three unresolved zoning questions

Residential unit limits are one of the central issues expected in the third draft. Depending on the language ultimately proposed and adopted, rules governing the number of homes permitted on a residential parcel could affect homeowners, property owners considering redevelopment and people looking for housing in Richmond.

The draft is also expected to address zoning for places of worship. Those rules could affect how such institutions are regulated within the city’s land-use framework. The specific provisions, including how the rules would apply to particular properties, are not yet public.

A third issue is the definition of household size. The draft will address how many unrelated people may be treated as one household under Richmond’s zoning code. That question is relevant to shared housing arrangements as well as to the way residential properties are regulated.

Why the draft matters citywide

Because the code refresh is a citywide Richmond land-use process, the questions are not limited to one development site or one neighborhood. Any eventual changes to residential lot capacity, places-of-worship zoning or household definitions could apply across different parts of the city.

At the same time, the Aug. 17 milestone is a scheduled draft release, not a final policy decision. The third draft has not yet been released, so Richmond’s eventual choices on residential density, worship-site zoning and household composition remain pending.

That distinction matters for residents and property owners trying to understand what rules apply now. The upcoming document is part of the code-refresh process; it is not adopted law. The date marks when a new version is expected to become available, not when new zoning rules take effect.

What remains to be decided

The draft’s release should provide the first opportunity to evaluate the actual language behind the three unresolved issues. Until that text is available, it is not possible to determine from the scheduled topics alone whether the proposal would expand or restrict housing capacity overall.

The same limitation applies to places of worship and household definitions. Identifying those subjects shows where the code-refresh process is focused, but it does not establish the final treatment of a particular institution, residential lot or shared household.

The City of Richmond, the Richmond Planning Commission and Richmond City Council are the city entities connected to the broader planning and land-use framework. The next known step is the release of the third draft on Aug. 17. Final provisions and an implementation timeline remain to be established after the draft and subsequent decisions.

The project covers portions of Oliver Hill Way, North 18th Street, Venable Street, Mosby Street and Leigh Street. The plan includes protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, two-way streets and a new traffic signal. Four regular intersections would be converted into landscaped roundabouts.

The approval came after a contentious review involving city planning and transportation officials. The decision also protects $33.3 million in secured federal funding that officials said could have been put at risk by a delay.

What the project would change

Under the approved design, Oliver Hill Way would receive street parking for the first time. The combination of parking, bike lanes, wider sidewalks and changes to traffic movement is intended to address transportation safety, accessibility and connectivity in Shockoe Valley.

The four planned roundabouts would replace regular intersections with landscaped traffic circles. The design also calls for a new traffic signal and for the affected streets to operate as two-way roads.

The work is limited to roughly half a mile, but it would alter how people walk, bike and drive through several connected streets. That makes the project a significant change for a historically important part of Richmond, where officials have been weighing pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle priorities.

A plan years in development

The city said the design process began in 2018 and included technical analysis and community engagement. About $4 million in prior work had already been completed or committed to the project, according to Axios Richmond.

The Urban Design Committee had recommended denying the project during the review, citing concerns involving pedestrians and land use. The Planning Commission nevertheless approved the project and included all eight conditions recommended by the committee.

Those conditions are part of the approved plan, but the vote did not eliminate the broader disagreement over how the streets should balance walking, biking, parking and vehicle traffic. The review had involved both city planning and transportation officials.

Federal funding and next steps

Officials said failing to approve the project risked delays, redesign costs and the loss or disruption of $33.3 million in secured federal funding. Approval allows the city to continue pursuing the project rather than reopening the design process.

The project will now continue through Richmond’s review and implementation process. The city’s announcement did not give a construction start date or a completion date, so the Planning Commission’s action is an approval to advance the work, not a statement that construction is finished.

The next phase will determine how the approved design moves toward implementation. For residents and people traveling through Shockoe Valley, the practical stakes are the future layout of the streets, the addition of protected bicycle infrastructure and sidewalks, and the introduction of roundabouts and new street parking on Oliver Hill Way.

The change is required under Richmond City Council Ordinance No. 2026-059. It shifts the handling of emergency-medical calls between the city’s 911 operation and the ambulance authority, creating a new operational arrangement for people seeking urgent medical help.

What changed

The City of Richmond announced that the transfer process began at 9 a.m. on July 27. The announcement identifies the Richmond Ambulance Authority as the agency receiving emergency-medical 911 callers under the new arrangement.

This is a change in how emergency-medical calls are handled. It does not mean Richmond eliminated its 911 service, and the available information does not establish that every 911 call is transferred to the ambulance authority.

The approved information also does not specify whether the transfer applies to all medical calls or only to defined categories of emergency-medical calls. That distinction may be important for residents trying to understand what happens after they request medical assistance through 911.

Why the implementation matters

For Richmond residents, the immediate issue is the call-handling path behind a request for emergency medical help. The city’s 911 system remains the entry point identified in the announcement, while the Richmond Ambulance Authority becomes part of the handling process for the emergency-medical calls covered by the change.

The shift also gives implementation a direct public-safety significance. How calls are transferred, how information moves between the organizations and how dispatch decisions are made are practical parts of the new system. The source material confirms the change in responsibility, but it does not provide enough information to assess those operational details.

It is also too early, based on the approved sources, to say whether the new arrangement has improved or worsened emergency response. No comparative response-time data after implementation was provided. Claims about faster responses, slower responses or changes in patient outcomes would go beyond the available evidence.

Policy background and what comes next

The transfer follows action by Richmond City Council. Ordinance No. 2026-059 is the legal basis identified by the city for the implementation. VPM News previously reported that Richmond’s 911 call-handling change was before local officials in June, providing the policy context for the later start date.

The known implementation milestone was July 27 at 9 a.m. The approved sources do not identify a later deadline, review date or performance report. That leaves the operation of the new call-handling arrangement—and any future reporting on response performance—as the key areas to watch.

For now, the confirmed development is the transfer itself: Richmond has begun routing emergency-medical 911 callers to the Richmond Ambulance Authority under a measure adopted by City Council.

The city announced the action Aug. 2, moving the school-capital debate toward a possible November 2026 ballot. The action does not impose a tax, and Richmond voters have not approved one. The proposal still required ballot-placement action, with city materials identifying Aug. 7, 2026, as the deadline.

What voters may be asked to decide

If the measure is placed on the ballot and later approved, the sales-tax revenue would be dedicated exclusively to Richmond Public Schools facilities. The stated purpose is to support the modernization and construction of school buildings.

That makes the city’s action a step toward a voter decision, not a final tax increase. The official announcement reviewed for this report did not specify a proposed tax rate or the amount of revenue the measure could generate.

Those missing details matter. Without final ballot language or an official fiscal analysis, the available record does not establish how much an approved measure would raise, how it would affect household and business tax burdens, or how the revenue would be distributed among school-capital projects.

Ballot placement remained the next step

The proposed question could not reach voters simply because city officials authorized it. The city needed to complete the required ballot-placement action before the November 2026 election.

City materials identified Aug. 7 as the relevant deadline. The approved record does not confirm whether Richmond City Council completed that action by the deadline, whether final ballot language was available, or whether the question was ultimately placed on the November ballot.

That leaves two separate issues for Richmond residents. The first is procedural: whether the city completed ballot placement in time. The second is policy-related: whether voters would approve a new, dedicated sales tax for school facilities if the question reaches them.

Why the proposal matters locally

School construction and modernization are long-term capital decisions. A dedicated sales-tax stream, if ultimately approved, would create a new local revenue source for those projects rather than simply continuing the city’s existing school-facilities funding arrangements.

Richmond’s proposed fiscal-year 2027 budget provides broader context for the debate, including the city’s school-funding, housing and capital priorities. The budget context does not establish that the proposed referendum replaces existing funding or that it would be used for any particular school.

Separate reporting by VPM News has also documented broader public-facility and capital-needs pressures in Richmond, including concerns about conditions at the John Marshall building. That reporting helps explain why facility investment is part of the city’s larger public-finance discussion, but the available sources do not say that the proposed sales tax would fund John Marshall or any other specific project.

What remains unknown

The official record available for this article does not include a tax percentage, projected annual revenue, final ballot wording or a project list. Those details should not be inferred from the city’s announcement or from the city’s existing budget materials.

For now, the immediate question is whether the proposed school-facilities sales-tax question cleared the Aug. 7 ballot-placement deadline. Only if it was placed on the ballot would Richmond voters get the next decision: whether to authorize a new dedicated revenue stream for Richmond Public Schools facilities.

The money is not yet available for disbursement. Funding is contingent on execution of a memorandum of understanding between Richmond and VDH, unless VDH issues a grant agreement covering the same roles and obligations. The governing instrument must be executed by August 31, 2026 — 26 days after Wednesday, August 5 — and must spell out how and under what conditions the funds will be released.

Funding is tied to the plant evaluation

The budget identifies VDH’s Comprehensive Waterworks Evaluation and Cost Estimate report dated April 8, 2025, as the basis for the Richmond allocation. It also ties the work to recommendations from the Richmond Regional Water Workgroup created in the same budget provision.

The budget does not say that the $20 million will cover Richmond’s full water-treatment-plant needs. It also does not identify a final list of individual projects in the funding language.

Richmond must maintain its own investment

The required agreement must include maintenance-of-effort provisions covering Richmond’s capital improvements, repairs, operations and maintenance at the plant.

State funds may not replace other local, state or federal funds dedicated to those purposes. In practical terms, the allocation is intended to supplement Richmond’s existing responsibilities rather than eliminate them.

The Richmond allocation is part of a separate $50 million statewide one-time grant appropriation for local drinking-water infrastructure. Under the budget language, localities receiving grants must provide proof of at least a 25% match for project costs, and no grant may fully fund a drinking-water project.

Regional workgroup will make recommendations

The budget establishes a 10-member Richmond Regional Water Workgroup. Its specified membership includes the secretary of Health and Human Resources, the director of the Department of General Services, and the chief administrative officers and public-utilities directors — or designees — from Richmond, Chesterfield County, Hanover County and Henrico County.

The group is an oversight and recommendation body, not a replacement for the city’s operation of the plant. Its responsibilities include reviewing and making recommendations about plant maintenance, capital improvements and repairs, staffing, operations and long-term sustainability.

The workgroup must also review and identify compliance concerns involving wholesale water contracts, monitor compliance with the grant agreement and report annually on its findings, recommendations and use of the funding. It must meet at least six times each year, and its first meeting must occur in or before August 2026.

Next deadlines for residents to watch

The immediate milestone is the August 31 deadline for executing the governing agreement between Richmond and VDH. That document must establish the conditions for disbursement and Richmond’s continuing financial obligations.

The workgroup must prepare, publish and deliver an annual report by November 1 to the governor, legislative budget leaders and the chief elected officers of Richmond, Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico. The report must address findings, recommendations and the use of the funds.

For Richmond residents, the budget provides a significant state commitment for water infrastructure, but it is conditional funding. The allocation must be governed by an executed agreement, used alongside Richmond’s continuing plant investment and operating responsibilities, and tracked through the regional oversight process.

Sources

• Virginia enacted budget, HB30 Item 283 #1c
• City of Richmond FY2027 budget page
• Axios Richmond budget report

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should verify their assigned location before leaving home. The changes affect specific precincts, not every Richmond voter.

Check your polling place before voting

The City of Richmond says voters normally assigned to MAPS Global, Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, Imperial Plaza, Richmond High School for the Arts or Hobson Lodge must use different locations for Tuesday’s primary.

The city’s August 4 assignments are:

• Precinct 302: Richmond Community High School, 201 E. Brookland Park Boulevard. This is the replacement for voters who normally vote at MAPS Global.
• Precinct 307: Barack Obama Elementary School, 3101 Fendall Avenue. This is the replacement for voters who normally vote at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church.
• Precinct 309: Linwood Holton Elementary School, 1600 W. Laburnum Avenue. This is the replacement for voters who normally vote at Imperial Plaza.
• Precinct 509: Miles Jones Elementary School, 200 Beaufont Hills Drive, at the Precinct 908 location. This is the replacement for voters who normally vote at Richmond High School for the Arts, formerly George Wythe High.
• Precinct 811: Swansboro Elementary School, 3160 Midlothian Turnpike, at the Precinct 510 location. This is the replacement for voters who normally vote at Hobson Lodge.

Richmond’s precinct page allows voters to enter a residential address, identify their precinct and view the Election Day location. Because the city says its precinct app and maps are being updated, voters should use the city’s August 4 polling-location list if the online tools do not yet show the change.

Why the primary is being held in August

Virginia moved the 2026 primary from June to August 4 under a one-year law change approved by the General Assembly and signed February 20, 2026. There is no June 16 primary this year.

The Richmond-area primary is part of the larger ballot cycle leading to November. According to Axios Richmond, Tuesday’s contests include the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, Democratic and Republican congressional primaries affecting parts of the region, and a Democratic primary for Chesterfield’s Dale District supervisor seat.

Richmond itself is not holding a primary for the 4th Congressional District. The November ballot is expected to include statewide contests and measures, as well as local 1% sales-tax referendums for school construction in Richmond and Chesterfield.

Election-night results will be unofficial

Results posted Tuesday night should be treated as preliminary. The Virginia Department of Elections results portal lists the August 4 Democratic and Republican primaries under unofficial results.

Local office results become official after the locality’s Electoral Board certifies them. Offices and local contests that cross locality lines become official after certification by the State Board of Elections.

For Richmond voters, the practical steps are straightforward: confirm the address-based polling location, arrive between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, and wait for the applicable electoral board certification before treating a result as final.

Sources

• City of Richmond polling-place update
• Virginia Department of Elections primary-date notice
• Axios Richmond election guide

Richmond Public Utilities said in a July 31 notice that the request would continue while officials monitored conditions. The expected review period is not a guaranteed decision date, and the supplied notice does not confirm that the measures have been lifted.

What officials are watching

The review is expected to consider the stability of James River flows, recent rainfall and guidance from Virginia’s Drought Monitoring Task Force and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Richmond’s James River Regional Flow Management Plan identifies a trigger of average river flows at 1,700 cubic feet per second for 14 consecutive days. The regional conservation request was first implemented July 1 after river flows met that plan trigger.

Virginia DEQ describes the state’s drought-monitoring process as an evaluation of hydrologic conditions and other indicators that can inform drought responses. That state guidance does not independently announce a change to Richmond’s regional request.

Communities covered

The voluntary measures apply to Richmond and Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan counties.

The request is intended to reduce unnecessary demand and support regional water-treatment and supply operations. It is voluntary, not a mandatory restriction program or an emergency declaration, and it does not announce an immediate drinking-water shortage.

Watering schedule

Under Richmond’s posted schedule:

• Monday is a no-watering day.
• Addresses ending in an odd number may water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
• Addresses ending in an even number may water on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Richmond’s guidance also asks residents and businesses to limit certain uses:

• Fountains should run from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m., with two additional days allowed at any time each week.
• Driveways, sidewalks and other paved areas may be washed on two days each week, except when washing is needed for health or safety.
• Swimming pools should be filled or topped off only as needed to remain safe and clean.
• Vegetable gardens should be watered from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m.; bucket watering is allowed at any time.
• Vehicles may be washed on two days each week with a handheld hose equipped with an automatic shutoff nozzle. Commercial mobile vehicle-washing businesses are exempt.
• New landscaping may be watered at any time during its first 10 days; afterward, the lawn schedule applies.
• Golf courses should be watered from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m., although greens may be watered at any time.

Richmond’s posted guidance says there are no water-use restrictions for restaurants.

What happens next

Officials expected to reassess the request during the week of August 3, but the timing and outcome remain uncertain. Residents should not assume the conservation measures will end unless Richmond Public Utilities issues a new notice.

Until then, residents and businesses in the affected Richmond-area communities should continue conserving water and follow updates from Richmond Public Utilities.

Sources

• Richmond Region Remains in Voluntary Water Conservation Status
• Drought | Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
• Richmond region enacts voluntary water restrictions amid ongoing drought

The City of Richmond said in a July 10 update that CSX had completed the removal of the remaining cars and had begun grain-removal operations. The city also said rail work was continuing, meaning the response has moved beyond rail-car removal but is not complete.

Derailment drew Fire Department response

The Richmond Fire Department responded at approximately 4:04 p.m. on July 3 to the derailment near Dock and 20th streets, according to the city. The incident involved a 200-car freight train.

CSX is handling the rail work following the derailment. The city’s update identifies two distinct continuing tasks: grain-removal operations and track repairs. It confirms that the remaining cars had been cleared from the elevated track, but it does not say that repairs to the track had been finished.

Detours stay in place during work

City officials warned that traffic detours would remain in effect while work continues. The changes affect travel near Dock and 20th streets, where the derailment occurred.

The ongoing detours are tied to the continuing cleanup and rail-repair work. The city did not provide a date for reopening normal traffic patterns, and its July 10 notice did not give a final completion date for the track repairs.

For people traveling through the area, the confirmed next step is continued CSX work on the site while the city’s detours remain in place. The available notice does not announce a deadline for either the repairs or the end of the traffic changes.

What the city update does not establish

The city’s notice confirms the derailment’s location, the train’s 200-car size, the Fire Department response, removal of the remaining rail cars and continuing repair work. It does not state a cause for the derailment.

The available city information also does not establish whether there were injuries, a hazardous-material release or major property damage. Those issues are not resolved by the city’s July 10 update, and the notice does not indicate that all transportation impacts have ended.

The City of Richmond’s official election calendar identifies Aug. 4 as the state primary date. The Virginia Department of Elections also lists the date on its official candidates and referendums information page.

Registration deadline has passed

July 20 was the last day to register to vote by mail or online for the primary, according to Richmond’s Summer/Fall 2026 guide. That deadline was two weeks before Election Day.

The city also provides early, in-person voting for registered Richmond residents before Election Day. The approved city materials do not provide the full early-voting schedule in the available information, so voters should use official local election resources for current details.

Ballots and polling places may differ

Richmond’s election materials direct voters to official local and state election resources for ballot and polling-place information. The state elections department’s candidates and referendums page is the official source for candidate and referendum information.

The city materials available for this report do not list every race that may appear on an individual Richmond voter’s ballot. Voters should therefore confirm their own ballot eligibility, polling location and the contests assigned to them before going to vote.

The immediate known election deadline is Tuesday’s primary. The primary determines which candidates advance in contested party nominations, but the available official materials do not identify a single Richmond-specific contest or ballot measure as the central race for all city voters.

City calendar also lists regular council schedule

Richmond’s official guide includes city-government calendar information in addition to election dates. Richmond City Council’s regular meeting schedule is the first and third Monday of each month, with the August schedule subject to the city calendar.

For the primary, the City of Richmond and Virginia Department of Elections are directing voters to their official election information resources. With Election Day set for Aug. 4, residents who are already registered can use those resources to verify where they vote and which contests are on their ballot.

The announcement adds a new presentation element to the Flying Squirrels’ 804 Day event in Richmond. The team’s official news archive identifies the show as a franchise first.

A franchise first at CarMax Park

The Flying Squirrels’ announcement places the event at CarMax Park in Richmond and sets it for Aug. 4, which falls on a Tuesday in 2026. The club identified the drone show as part of 804 Day, linking the event to the annual date associated with the Richmond area’s 804 telephone-area-code identity.

The available announcement supports a narrower distinction: this will be the Flying Squirrels organization’s first-ever drone show. It does not establish that the event will be the first drone show ever held at CarMax Park.

The official Flying Squirrels news page reported the planned show, while Axios Richmond included 804 Day programming in its local events coverage published July 30. Together, the reports place the Aug. 4 ballpark event within Richmond’s current 804 Day calendar.

What has and has not been announced

The team has confirmed the date, location and connection to 804 Day. The source material does not identify a game opponent or provide a game start time, so it is not possible to determine from the available announcements whether the drone show will follow a specific matchup or how it will fit into the evening’s schedule.

Details about the drone presentation itself also have not been specified in the approved reporting. The available material does not list the show’s duration, the number of drones involved, a viewing plan or any weather-contingency information.

Ticket availability and pricing were not included in the announcement reviewed for this report. Nor did the available sources provide an expected attendance figure, a cost estimate or information about event funding.

Next confirmed date

Aug. 4 is the next confirmed date for the event. The Flying Squirrels have announced that CarMax Park will host the organization’s first drone show that day during 804 Day, but additional game and fan-information details were not included in the available source packet.

The city’s notice, updated July 28, identifies precincts 302, 307, 309, 509 and 811 as having polling locations different from those used during the April election. The notice applies specifically to the August Republican primary.

For voters assigned to those precincts, the change means the site used in April is not the Election Day location listed by the city for this primary. Polls are scheduled to open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Aug. 4.

Five precincts have updated sites

Precinct 302 voters are assigned to Richmond Community High School, 201 E. Brookland Park Boulevard.

Precinct 307 voters are assigned to Barack Obama Elementary School, 3101 Fendall Avenue.

Precinct 309 voters are assigned to Linwood Holton Elementary School, 1600 W. Laburnum Avenue.

Precinct 509 voters are assigned to Miles Jones Elementary School, 200 Beaufont Hills Drive.

Precinct 811 voters are assigned to Swansboro Elementary School, 3160 Midlothian Turnpike.

What the notice does — and does not — cover

The city identified five affected precincts in its updated notice. It does not state that polling locations have changed for every Richmond precinct.

The notice also does not describe separate polling-place changes for a Democratic primary. Richmond’s announcement is specifically titled and issued for the August Republican primary, so the listed locations should not be read as a citywide notice of changes for every election or every precinct.

The Virginia Department of Elections announced on Feb. 24 that the state’s 2026 primary election date had been moved to Aug. 4. Richmond’s July 28 update provides the local Election Day location information for the five precincts named in the city notice.

Next step for affected voters

The next known date is Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 4. Voters in precincts 302, 307, 309, 509 and 811 should use the polling place assigned to their precinct in the city’s updated notice rather than relying on the location used in April.

The city notice does not give a reason for the polling-place changes. It also does not report an election result; voting had not yet occurred as of Aug. 3.

The primary is the next scheduled decision point for registered city residents participating in contests for representative in Congress, state senator and state representative. The bulletin says other offices provided by law may also be included.

The city’s publication also says registered Richmond residents may vote early in person. Early voting had already begun before Election Day, according to the bulletin.

What the primary covers

Virginia’s Aug. 4 primary is a nominating election, not a general-election result. Voters will participate in eligible primary contests involving candidates for Congress, the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates, along with other offices provided by law.

The bulletin identifies three office categories specifically: representative in Congress, state senator and state representative. It does not provide a complete list of contests appearing on Richmond ballots.

It also does not establish that every registered Richmond voter will have a contested primary race. Voters’ available contests depend on the official ballot applicable to them.

Voting information and deadline

For registered Richmond residents, the city says early in-person voting is available ahead of the Aug. 4 primary. Election Day itself is the immediate deadline for in-person voting in the primary.

The city bulletin does not provide polling-place hours in the excerpt supplied for the election information. It likewise does not list a full set of Richmond contests or report any election results.

As of Aug. 3, the development was election administration information ahead of the vote, rather than a campaign outcome. No results were yet available.

What comes next

The next known milestone is the state primary on Aug. 4. The city’s bulletin directs its voting information to registered Richmond residents and identifies early in-person voting as an option before that date.

The primary will determine nominees in the covered contests where a primary is held; it does not itself resolve the general election. Richmond residents should rely on the official ballot and election information for the contests available to them.

The festival, produced by the City of Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ Cultural Arts Division, presents shows throughout June, July and August. The city has published a 2026 schedule for the season, though the available information does not establish which performance was scheduled for Aug. 3.

A city-produced summer arts program

The Festival of Arts is a recurring Richmond summer program centered at Dogwood Dell. Its programming spans classical music, dance, drama, comedy and musical theater, along with concerts featuring reggae, pop, swing, rhythm and blues, rock, jazz and contemporary music.

That range makes the series a shared setting for different kinds of performing arts rather than a single-genre concert program. It also gives residents recurring opportunities to encounter city-supported cultural programming over the three-month summer season.

The Cultural Arts Division’s role extends beyond presenting performances. The city says the festival includes its own theater productions as well as packaged performances that receive city technical assistance. In practice, the program brings both in-house productions and outside acts into the Dogwood Dell season under the city’s cultural-arts operation.

What is known about August programming

The city’s Cultural Arts page confirms that performances are presented at Dogwood Dell throughout August and links to the 2026 schedule. The available source material, however, does not include a complete event-by-event listing, individual start times or attendance figures.

It also does not establish admission costs, whether every performance is free, or any eligibility requirements for particular events. Residents planning to attend should consult the city’s published 2026 schedule for the details of a specific performance.

The season’s continuation into August is significant because it maintains a regular public performance venue in Richmond through the end of the city’s stated June-to-August schedule. The program’s mix of music, theater, dance and comedy places multiple forms of cultural programming at the same amphitheater during the summer.

No funding amount, attendance estimate or economic-impact figure was provided in the available materials. The next known milestone is the completion of the 2026 Festival of Arts season after its August programming.

The derailment occurred at approximately 4:04 p.m. on July 3 near the intersection of Dock and 20th streets. Three cars from an approximately 200-car freight train derailed into the canal, according to the City of Richmond.

The city reported no injuries and no hazardous-material issues in its update. The cause of the derailment remained under investigation.

Street and trail access remained restricted

Dock Street was closed between 18th and 22nd streets in the July 6 update. The Capital Trail was also closed from 18th Street to Pear Street, covering mile markers 51.2 through 51.7.

The listed closures affected access along the canal corridor while work continued. The city’s update did not provide a reopening date for either Dock Street or the affected section of the trail.

Rail traffic resumed on undamaged track

By July 6, CSX had removed the remaining derailed cars from the elevated track and was repairing the damaged track, the city said. Passenger and freight trains had resumed using the undamaged track.

That rail-service resumption did not mean all cleanup work was complete. The three cars that entered the canal still had to be addressed, and the city said CSX was preparing for that next phase of work.

CSX did not expect work on the submerged cars to begin before July 7. The city said the work was expected to last at least through that weekend. That was a projected timetable, not a confirmed completion date.

What is known and what remains unresolved

The city’s July 6 notice established the location of the derailment, the number of cars involved, the closure boundaries and the status of track repairs. It also reported that no injuries or hazardous-material issues had been identified in the update.

However, the update did not identify a cause, and it did not establish when the submerged cars would be removed, when the street and trail would reopen, or when the investigation would be completed. The city said the cause remained under investigation as cleanup planning continued.

For people traveling through the area, the July 6 closure notice remained the city’s stated guidance: Dock Street was closed from 18th to 22nd streets, and the Capital Trail was closed from 18th Street to Pear Street, between mile markers 51.2 and 51.7.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality published notice that HUD proposes to provide Section 221(d)(4) mortgage insurance for the new construction of Commerce Heights. The notice identifies Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC as the applicant.

Comments are being accepted from July 20 through Aug. 14, 2026. The notice marks a review step for the proposed development, not a final financing approval or a construction start.

What the notice covers

Commerce Heights is proposed as new multifamily construction at the Ingram Avenue address. HUD’s Section 221(d)(4) program is the specific mortgage-insurance program identified in the public notice.

The published notice does not state how many homes the project would include, its total development cost, a construction timetable or a planned completion date. It also does not identify an affordability mix or affordability requirements for the proposed homes.

As a result, the available notice does not establish that the development has received final federal insurance, secured financing or moved into construction. The Aug. 14 deadline is the end of the stated public-comment period, not a project completion deadline.

Roles and next step

HUD is the federal agency proposed to provide the mortgage insurance. DEQ published the public notice, and Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC is listed as the applicant. The notice gives residents, agencies and other interested parties a defined period to submit comments before the review process advances.

No closure, traffic change, construction disruption or service impact is identified in the notice. Nor does the notice identify particular neighborhoods beyond the project’s Richmond address.

Housing-policy context

The Commerce Heights review comes as Richmond’s housing agenda identifies expanding housing supply and transit-oriented development as priorities. Separately, the city says City Council unanimously passed a new Affordable Housing Trust Fund ordinance on July 23, 2026.

The city’s housing agenda and trust-fund ordinance are broader policy actions. The available materials do not state that either action funds Commerce Heights or changes the status of HUD’s proposed mortgage insurance for the project.

For Commerce Heights, the known near-term milestone remains the public-comment deadline of Aug. 14. Further action on insurance, financing, construction or the project’s eventual operation would require information beyond the published notice.

Call 911 for an emergency. City emergency communications officers continue answering incoming 911 calls. Police and fire call processing remains with the city.

What callers should do

Give the location first, including a street address, intersection or nearby landmark. Then answer the call-taker’s questions as clearly as possible.

If the emergency is medical, the city will connect the caller to the Richmond Ambulance Authority, or RAA. Callers should stay on the line during the transfer and should not hang up, even if they hear a recording or a pause.

RAA personnel will ask additional medical questions and provide emergency medical instructions until the ambulance arrives. Richmond’s official 911 guidance says callers should continue answering questions and following instructions because that information helps dispatchers coordinate the appropriate response.

What happens when police or fire are also needed

When a caller needs medical assistance along with police or fire help, Richmond emergency communications officers first process the information needed for the police or fire response. The caller is then connected to RAA for the medical portion of the call.

The change therefore concerns emergency medical call processing. It does not transfer police or fire call processing to RAA.

Why the system changed

The city said the transfer followed City Council’s adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-059. The July 27 city release said the Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response and RAA prepared for the transition through personnel training and updated policies and procedures.

Richmond City Council’s June 8 meeting minutes show that council members and city officials discussed the implementation process, including backup procedures, assigned responsibilities, continuity and reliability in public safety services. Those were concerns raised during the transition process, not findings that the new system had failed.

The Richmonder reported that the handoff returned primary responsibility for medical 911 calls to RAA after roughly two years in which the city handled the initial medical call before relaying information to the ambulance authority.

Keep the line open

For Richmond residents, the first step in an emergency is unchanged: call 911, provide the location and follow the call-taker’s directions.

If the call is transferred for medical assistance, stay on the line until RAA personnel answer and provide further instructions. Do not call a separate number for the ambulance authority, and do not hang up during the transfer.

Sources

• City of Richmond — Getting Help Through 911
• City of Richmond — City to Transfer Medical 911 Calls to Richmond Ambulance Authority
• The Richmonder — Following Council vote, Richmond transfers medical 911 calls back to ambulance authority

AAA listed the Richmond-Petersburg metro average for regular gasoline at $3.931 per gallon. That is down 1.6 cents from the previous day and 9.3 cents from a week earlier. The decline has not erased longer-term increases: regular gas remains 22.3 cents above the month-ago average and 84.2 cents above the year-ago average.

Regular gas slips, but remains above earlier benchmarks

For commuters and households using gasoline-powered vehicles, the latest movement means a small reduction compared with the previous day and week. However, drivers are still paying more than they were one month or one year ago, based on AAA’s comparison figures.

The AAA figure is a Richmond-Petersburg metro average, not a price posted at every station in Richmond. Prices can differ by location, brand, payment method and timing, so drivers may find a meaningful spread when comparing nearby pumps.

Diesel rises to nearly $5.30

AAA put the Richmond-Petersburg diesel average at $5.298 per gallon. Diesel was up 0.3 cents from the previous day and 1.6 cents from a week earlier. The longer comparisons were higher as well: diesel was 55.6 cents above the month-ago average and $1.596 above the year-ago average.

That split matters for contractors, delivery drivers, landscapers, service companies and other businesses that rely on diesel vehicles or equipment. Higher fuel costs can put pressure on operating budgets and may affect how businesses plan routes, service calls and deliveries, even when no immediate price change is passed on to customers.

One Richmond station shows why shopping can matter

The 7-Eleven at 2922 Richmond Highway listed regular gasoline at $3.819 per gallon and diesel at $5.159 when its station page was checked. Those prices were 11.2 cents and 13.9 cents below the respective Richmond-Petersburg metro averages.

The 7-Eleven figures represent one Richmond location, not the citywide price. The station page says its fuel prices are updated within 24 hours, so weekend travelers, daily commuters and commercial drivers should check current prices before filling up.

What Richmond drivers should watch

The latest data show two different fuel trends at once: regular gasoline is easing over the short term but remains well above its month- and year-ago comparison points, while diesel is rising across all four listed comparison windows.

That can mean modest relief for gasoline-powered household vehicles while diesel-dependent contractors, delivery operators, restaurants and service businesses continue to manage higher fuel costs. Pump prices can vary significantly by station, making local price comparisons especially useful for drivers buying larger quantities or traveling over the weekend.

What are the highest and lowest pump prices you are seeing around Richmond? Share the station and fuel type so other readers can compare local prices.

Sources

• AAA Fuel Prices — Virginia
• 7-Eleven at 2922 Richmond Highway

Code Refresh would be Richmond’s first comprehensive zoning-code rewrite since 1976. The city says the project involves reviewing zoning across every parcel, and the rewrite could affect where housing is built, how many units are allowed on a lot, parking expectations, development rights and neighborhood character.

What the petition would do

A petition filed in Richmond Circuit Court seeks to amend the city charter so a zoning plan affecting at least 25% of the city’s land parcels could not take effect without voter approval in a referendum.

That threshold matters. The proposal would apply to certain broad zoning plans, not every individual zoning change, development application or property decision.

The petition has not created an immediate referendum, stopped Code Refresh or changed Richmond’s zoning rules. The group behind it must first collect signatures from 10% of the city’s eligible voters. The General Assembly would then need to approve the proposed charter change before a later public vote on a qualifying zoning plan could occur.

WWBT reported that organizers are aiming for a November 2027 ballot, but that timeline depends on the required steps being completed.

Where Code Refresh stands

The city has released two drafts of Code Refresh, and the second-draft comment period has closed. Richmond officials have been preparing a third draft, but the rewrite has not been adopted as law.

On June 15, 2026, Richmond City Council held a work session to review the Planning and Development Review department’s preview of Draft Three. The city’s Code Refresh materials continue to identify the project as a work in progress and provide access to earlier maps, regulations and engagement documents.

VPM News reported that the next draft is expected to address several unresolved questions: how many unrelated people may live in one household, how religious properties should be zoned and how many housing units should be permitted on a residential lot.

Why housing advocates remain divided

Supporters of Code Refresh argue that updated zoning could expand housing choices and allow Richmond to respond to current housing demand. The city has described the rewrite as a way to guide growth and create more opportunities for residents to find homes.

Housing advocates who support expanding housing options also say zoning changes should be paired with measures to reduce displacement. A coalition highlighted by Axios Richmond has proposed tools including targeted assistance in neighborhoods at risk of displacement, a public database of affordable housing and incentives for affordable units in new development.

Those measures remain proposals, just as Draft Three remains a proposal. Code Refresh will not automatically produce a specific number of homes or prevent residents from being priced out.

What Richmond residents should watch next

The next milestones include the release and public review of Draft Three, additional City Council or planning discussions, progress on the petition’s signature drive and possible action by the General Assembly.

For renters, homeowners, neighborhood groups and developers, the practical question remains unresolved: how Richmond will balance more housing and development flexibility with parking, neighborhood stability, property rights and protection against displacement.

Sources

• City of Richmond Code Refresh project page
• WWBT 12 On Your Side: Richmond group petitions to put zoning overhaul to public vote
• VPM News: Questions linger as Richmond’s Code Refresh nears final stages
• Axios Richmond: Richmond group pushes plan to prevent resident displacement

The measure has not been approved by Council and is not yet on the November 2026 ballot. If Council advances the proposal and the required legal process is completed, Richmond voters—not the mayor or Council alone—would make the final decision.

What the proposed tax would fund

Under the proposal, revenue would be restricted to capital projects involving Richmond Public Schools construction or major renovation rather than general city operations.

Mayor Danny Avula’s office estimates the tax could generate approximately $47.5 million annually beginning in fiscal year 2028. City and school officials say that revenue could support as much as $850 million in school capital projects between 2028 and 2034.

Those figures are projections, not guaranteed collections or an approved construction program. Specific schools, projects and neighborhoods have not been identified through a finalized facilities plan.

Possible tax offsets are conditional

Avula has tied the proposal to potential changes in other local taxes, but none of those changes is currently in effect.

If voters approve the sales tax, Avula says he would seek to reduce Richmond’s meals tax from 7.5% to 6.5%. He also says he would present a budget built around lowering the real-estate tax rate from $1.20 to $1.19 per $100 of assessed value.

Both commitments would require future legislation or budget action. They should not be read as adopted tax reductions.

The proposal comes amid RPS budget pressure

The school-facilities proposal arrives as Richmond Public Schools works through immediate operating-budget problems. The district approved nearly $4.3 million in reductions during its fiscal year 2027 budget process as costs rose and available funding remained constrained.

Separately, Avula has said he will submit a budget amendment proposing $4.78 million from the city’s lodging-tax rebate for RPS. That proposal is separate from the sales-tax referendum and would not represent permanent recurring school funding.

City and school officials have pointed to aging buildings and deferred maintenance as reasons to pursue a dedicated capital source. They have also acknowledged that a sales tax would accelerate construction but would not address every facilities need.

What Richmond residents should watch next

The first major test is the July 27 Council meeting and whether members advance Resolution 2026-R028. If the resolution moves forward, residents will need to watch the final ballot language, the legal schedule and any subsequent action required before a November vote.

Another open question is how Richmond Public Schools would prioritize projects if voters approve the tax. Until a facilities plan and project list are adopted, the proposal does not guarantee funding for any particular school or neighborhood.

Key sources

• City of Richmond mayoral remarks
• Richmond City Council Resolution 2026-R028
• VPM News report

The plan includes a closure path for Richmond Virtual Academy and lower pay rates for teachers who cover classes or lose planning periods, changes intended to help the district balance the budget before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

Even with those cuts, summer school remains funded and is still scheduled to begin June 8. That gives families a clear answer heading into next week, especially those planning around the program.

The budget picture is not necessarily finished. Richmond Public Schools says later state funding changes before July 1 could still alter the district’s final numbers or prompt another review.

Sources

• VPM News — Richmond Public Schools FY27 budget cuts report
• Richmond Public Schools — FY27 Budget page

The biggest change for families is the shutdown of Richmond Virtual Academy. Under the approved plan, one of the division’s virtual options is being eliminated.

The plan also reduces the hourly rate paid to educators who cover classes or give up planning periods, cutting that pay from $55 to $35. Local reporting said the change was expected to save about $800,000.

That matters because the budget affects more than accounting. It changes where some students can enroll, how staff are paid for extra coverage, and how much room the district has for other services heading into 2026-27.

Richmond Public Schools says the approved plan could still change if the state budget is not finalized until June 30. For now, the board’s June 2 vote is the current spending plan, and families affected by the virtual academy closure will need to watch for any updates before July 1.

Sources

• Richmond Public Schools FY27 School Board's Approved Budget
• VPM News report on Richmond Public Schools FY27 budget cuts