RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Getting around Richmond could soon become easier and faster. There are plans in the works to build a Broad Street Bus-Rapid Transit system. The 7.5-mile rapid bus lane would connect Willow Lawn in western Henrico to Rocketts Landing east of Shockoe Bottom.



“It would totally open up the different communities for us," Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said during morning radio interview on WRVA. "It goes right through VCU, opens it up, goes all the way to Willow Lawn, with all of the commercial activities we have out there."

A preliminary route map shows stops along Broad Street at:

Willow Lawn

Staples Mills Road

Hamilton Street

Robinson Street

Meadow Avenue

Shafer

Adams

3rd Street

6th Street

9th Street

12th Street

Main Street Station

25th Street

Williamsburg Road (off Broad Street)

Rocketts Landing (off Broad Street)

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), the City of Richmond and Henrico County have teamed up to apply for a federal TIGER grant that would help pay for half of the nearly $50 million project.

“Linking the regional economy together through a better transportation network is something we’ve been working toward for the employment and economic development needs of our city, and the Richmond BRT project is a critical and important step in that regard,” Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones said in a statement.

The governor's office said the project would "provide a one-time local benefit of $41.5 million, while also creating 406 jobs for the area."

We should know by this Fall whether the Richmond BRT project will be awarded any TIGER Grant funding money. Public hearing about the project are scheduled for May 20 and 21 in Richmond.