RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Scott’s Addition is a booming place to work, play and live, offering everything from arcade and bars to breweries and restaurants. But as the neighborhood booms with more and more people moving into the area each year, the sidewalks and roads haven’t kept up with the residents’ expectation.
Residents say busy intersections in the area have become difficult to both walk near and drive through, and they are hoping some change will come soon.
“People just step right out into the street, and people will constantly just drive…at breakneck speeds,” Will Wilkerson, a Scott’s Addition resident, said. “I’m surprised no one’s gotten hit yet.”
Wilkerson said he wants to see speed bumps, more stop signs and better sidewalks added to his neighborhood.
“It’s just long stretches of just dirt paths,” he said. “So when it rains, you can’t really walk across them. You’re having to walk on the street, otherwise you’re getting all muddy.”
The Greater Scott’s Addition Association’s president Rob Long told 8News that a neighborhood growing so quickly is bound to have some infrastructure problems.
“There has been talk of a lot of changes and a lot of things coming,” Long said. “And I do believe that the right people at City Hall are fighting for us on those things. But things move slowly,”
The City of Richmond said improvements made to the area so far include curb extensions, driveway closures and more street lighting — all of which are welcome to the community.
“We all live and work in the neighborhood every day,” Long said. “So we want a neighborhood where everyone feels safe walking around, whether it’s at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m.. So yeah, can’t come soon enough.”
In the future, the City of Richmond is planning to add bike lanes, crosswalks for each intersection and more parking signs to Scott’s Addition. They also plan to eventually add speed tables at several busy roads like Leigh Street and Clay Street.
In 2025, the City also hopes to improve pedestrian safety and access by adding more sidewalks and ADA curb ramps on several streets.
