Richmond to continue ticketing drivers who park too close to intersections and crosswalks
Richmond is continuing an enforcement push to get drivers to stop parking near intersections and crosswalks and starting a new one focused on parking in bike lanes.
“Parking too close to corners or in crosswalks is not only a violation, it creates visibility issues and is a hazard for motorists, pedestrians, people on bicycles and everyone who uses Richmond roadways,” said Phon Hoonsan, a spokesperson for the Richmond Police Department.
City code prohibits vehicles from being parked within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection or within 30 feet of any stop sign, “flashing beacon” or “traffic control signal located at the side of a roadway.”
For years, those rules were only sporadically enforced, particularly in densely populated neighborhoods like the Fan where it’s been common to see vehicles packed against every available section of curb.
This winter, however, Richmond police in the Third Precinct launched an initiative labeled “Keep Corners Clear” to begin ticketing people breaking parking laws. The push followed a string of pedestrian deaths that have led Mayor Danny Avula’s administration to heighten its focus on traffic safety and create a new transportation director role within City Hall.
As reported by Axios, the two-month parking crackdown led to the issuance of 204 tickets, nearly half of which were for parking too close to a crosswalk.
While Keep Corners Clear ended March 12, Hoonsan said the Richmond Police Department “will continue to enforce parking restrictions” going forward.
Michael Hinkle, a spokesperson for the city, also confirmed that the administration has asked its parking enforcement vendor, SP+, “to step up enforcement of parking restrictions near crosswalks and intersections.”
While some cities paint curbs to show drivers where they can and cannot park, Richmond has historically relied on signage on certain streets and, in many cases, drivers eyeballing the prohibited distances.
“There are currently no plans in the Department of Public Works to paint the curbs near intersections where parking is prohibited,” DPW spokeswoman Paige Hairston told The Richmonder.
Bike lane enforcement
On Wednesday, the city also signaled it plans to ramp up enforcement of parking in bike lanes, which has been illegal since 2019.
Officials announced that both RPD and SP+ will be issuing warnings to drivers who park in those areas, with $65 citations resuming May 1.
RPD spokesman James Mercante said Avula requested the month-long suspension of citations “to raise awareness and understanding of these important lanes of travel.”
“This education effort is intended to create discussion, understanding and compliance,” he wrote in an email. “There can be genuine confusion from motorists about parking or blocking bike lanes – but the lanes are an important component of Vision Zero and safe roadways for all here in Richmond. With this awareness campaign, hopefully all will keep dedicated bike lanes clear in the future.”
The announcement caused some confusion on the city’s social media pages, with a number of residents asking why Richmond officials were giving violators of an existing law a pass for a month.
An earlier communication from Police Chief Rick Edwards to the City Council indicates that police see this April as a precursor to a much more focused crackdown.
Edwards emailed the City Council this March asking for councilors to flag any particular areas of concern in addition to 11 stretches of roadway around Richmond already on RPD’s radar.
After the end of the warning month, “we will begin issuing actual citations to coincide with National Bike Month in May,” Edwards told the City Council in the March 5 email.
Contact Reporter Sarah Vogelsong at svogelsong@richmonder.org
