Richmond, Virginia

:This article is about the city in Virginia. For information on other cities with the same name, please see Richmond (disambiguation).

Infrastructure

Government

Richmond city government consists of a city council with representatives from nine districts serving in a legislative and oversight capacity, as well as a popularly elected, at-large mayor serving as head of the executive branch. Citizens in each of the nine districts elect one council representative each to serve a two-year term. The city council elects from among itself one member to serve as Vice-Mayor (Council President) and one to serve as Assistant Vice-Mayor (Council Vice President).

Related Topics:
City council - Legislative - Mayor - Executive branch

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Richmond's government previously changed from a council-manager form of government to an at-large, popularly elected Mayor. During the election, mayor Rudy McCollum was defeated by L. Douglas Wilder, who previously served Virginia as the first and only black governor.

Related Topics:
Council-manager - Mayor - Rudy McCollum - L. Douglas Wilder - Virginia - Governor

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As of the November, 2004 election, the Richmond City Council consists of: L. Douglas Wilder (Mayor), Manoli Loupassi (Vice Mayor, 1st District), Jacqueline M. "Jackie" Jackson (City Council Vice President, 8th District), William J. Pantele (2nd District), Chris A. Hilbert (3rd District), Kathy A. Graziano (4th District), E. Martin "Marty" Jewell (5th District), Ellen F. Robertson (6th District), Delores McQuinn (7th District), and Eugene A. Mason, Jr. (9th District).

Related Topics:
November - 2004 - L. Douglas Wilder - Mayor - Manoli Loupassi - William J. Pantele - Delores McQuinn

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Education

The city of Richmond operates 31 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and eight high schools, with a cosmopolitan student population of 25,000 students. Here is a listing of Richmond City Public Schools. The adjacent counties of Henrico and Chesterfield also have a large number of public schools.

Related Topics:
Listing of Richmond City Public Schools - Henrico - Chesterfield

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There are also several schools of higher education, including the University of Richmond (private), Virginia Commonwealth University (public), Virginia Union University (public) and the Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education (private). Several community colleges are found in the metro area, including J. Sargent Reynolds Community College and John Tyler Community College.

Related Topics:
University of Richmond - Virginia Commonwealth University - Virginia Union University - Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education - J. Sargent Reynolds Community College - John Tyler Community College

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Virginia State University is located about 20 miles south of Richmond, in the suburb of Ettrick, just outside Petersburg. Randolph-Macon College is located about 15 miles north of Richmond, in the incorporated town of Ashland.

Related Topics:
Virginia State University - Ettrick - Petersburg - Randolph-Macon College - Ashland

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Transportation

Richmond is served by the Richmond International Airport {{airport codes|RIC|KRIC}}, located in nearby Sandston, seven miles southeast of Richmond and within an hour drive of historic Williamsburg, Virginia, RIC airport is served by seven airlines with non-stop flights to 21 destinations and connecting flights to destinations worldwide. In 2004, the airport served approximately 2.5 million passengers.

Related Topics:
Richmond International Airport - Sandston - Williamsburg, Virginia - 2004

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Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines. Local transit and paratransit bus service in Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield counties is provided by the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC).

Related Topics:
Bus - Greyhound Lines - Transit - Paratransit - Henrico - Chesterfield - Greater Richmond Transit Company

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Richmond also has two railroad stations served by Amtrak. Each station receives regular service from north of Richmond from Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and New York. The suburban Staples Mill Road Station is located on a major north-south freight line and receives all service to and from all points south including, Raleigh, Durham, Savannah, Newport News, Williamsburg and Florida. The historic and recently renovated Main Street Station near downtown Richmond only receives trains bound for Newport News and Williamsburg at this time, due to its track layout. As a result, the Staples Mill Road station receives more service overall.

Related Topics:
Amtrak - Washington, DC - Philadelphia - New York - Raleigh - Durham - Savannah - Newport News - Williamsburg - Florida - Main Street Station

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Richmond also benefits from an excellent position in reference to the state's transportation network, lying at the junction of east-west Interstate 64 and north-south Interstate 95, two of the most heavily traveled highways in the state, as well as along several major rail lines.

Related Topics:
Interstate 64 - Interstate 95

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Utilities

Electricity in the Richmond Metro area is provided by Dominion Virginia Power. The company, based in Richmond, one of the nation's largest producers of energy, serving retail energy customers in nine states. Electricity is provided in the Richmond area primarily by the North Anna Nuclear Generating Station and Surry Nuclear Generating Station, as well as a coal-fired station in Chester, Virginia. These three plants provide a total of 4,453 megawatts of power. Several other natural gas plants provide extra power during times of peak demand. These include a facility in Chester, in Surry, and two plants in Richmond (Gravel Neck and Darbytown).{{mn|DOM|1}}

Related Topics:
Electricity - North Anna Nuclear Generating Station - Surry Nuclear Generating Station - Coal - Chester, Virginia - Megawatts - Natural gas - Surry

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Water is provided by the city's Department of Public Utilities, and is one of the largest water producers in Virginia, with a modern plant that can treat up to 132 million gallons of water a day from the James River.{{mn|RICUTIL|2}}

Related Topics:
Water - Virginia - James River

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Wastewater: The treatment plant and distribution system of water mains, pumping stations and storage facilities provide water to approximately 62,000 customers in the city. The facility also provides water to the surrounding area through wholesale contracts with Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover counties. Overall, this results in a facility that provides water for approximately 500,000 people. There is also a wastewater treatment plant located on the south bank of the James River. This plant can treat up to 70 million gallons of water per day of sanitary sewage and stormwater before returning it to the river. The wastewater utility also operates and maintains 1,500 miles of sanitary sewer, pumping stations, 38 miles of intercepting sewer lines, and the Shockoe Retention Basin, a 44-million-gallon stormwater reservoir used during heavy rains.

Related Topics:
Wastewater - Henrico - Chesterfield - Hanover

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Telephone service for the Richmond area is provided by two local exchange carriers: Verizon is the incumbent telephone company, and Cavalier Telephone is a competitive local exchange carrier.

Related Topics:
Telephone - Local exchange carriers - Verizon - Incumbent telephone company - Competitive local exchange carrier

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