$87 Million Going into Making South Virginia Safe
By: Jillian Gilbert
Tags: Nevada, Construction, Rtc, Transportation, Reno

By Jillian Gilbert

November 15th, 2019

An image from the flyover simulation of Virginia Street created by the Regional Transportation Commission.

South Virginia Street in the Midtown district is getting an $87 million dollar makeover to add more parking and create safer sidewalks for pedestrians.

The first phase of the construction project began in September 2018 and the second phase began in June of this year. This two year project is expected to end in the winter 2020.

More parking spaces will be added, which will help the companies support the booming business they were experiencing prior to construction. South Virginia Street’s high car crash rates were another reason for the construction project. Roundabouts will be added to help control traffic flow.

Prior to construction, South Virginia’s sidewalks were very unsafe for pedestrians. The uneven, cracking sidewalks were a hassle for pedestrians and were completely unusable for handicapped individuals in wheelchairs. When this construction project is complete, the district will be easily accessible to all of Reno’s people.

Another reason for construction was to beautify the corridor. A majority of Reno’s “hip” businesses are located in Midtown and the street just wasn’t matching the aesthetic of the highly performing businesses there. Three hundred trees will be added to the street as a result of construction. This is what Midtown will look like when the project is completed.

An image from the flyover simulation of Virginia Street created by the Regional Transportation Commission.

Although the added parking will help business owners in the future, construction on South Virginia has been difficult for the businesses there. At one point, Saint Lawrence street was completely torn up between South Virginia and Plumas Street.

Katie Louvat, the owner of The Yoga Center located on Saint Lawrence street said she encouraged her yoga students to walk or bike to the center to avoid the construction blockages and the hassle of finding parking.

The entirety of Saint Lawrence street was torn up for about a week back in January. The construction on the street added diagonal parking spaces to accommodate more cars.

The Yoga Center is a very lucky Midtown business because its students are very devoted to their practice and they’re willing to fight through the construction to get to class.

A few businesses have struggled with the construction more than others. Some people just aren’t willing to fight for parking to visit their favorite Midtown restaurants.

Lauren Ball, the public information officer for the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County, said RTC is doing everything they can to support local businesses during this time.

The RTC has a partnership with Lyft offering 50% off rides into the Midtown district so patrons can avoid the hassle of searching for parking.

The company also has a website for the Virginia Street project which features all the information about the construction and events going on in Midtown. There are several maps which show the best routes to get around in the district. There is also a flyover simulation which can show the citizens of Reno what Virginia Street will look like when Phase 2 of the project is over.

The RTC recently ran an ad rallying support for local businesses in the district. The ad was called “It’s Business as Usual in MidTown Reno!”. The ad encourages people to visit popular businesses in Midtown such as Junkee, Reno Breathe Bar and Sports West Gym.

The MidTown district has also hosted several block parties on South Virginia street. The block parties have featured food trucks, Midtown businesses, and live music to encourage the people of Reno to support the businesses there. The district most recently held an “Oktoberfest” block party on October 5th.

Despite the hassles of construction, Ball said, “Overall, most business owners are excited about the aesthetics the Virginia Street project will bring upon completion.”