Richmond police issue 200+ tickets in illegal parking crackdown
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Richmond police issued more than 200 citations in a recent enforcement push targeting drivers who park too close to intersections and crosswalks, according to RPD data shared with Axios.
Why it matters: That was just for people illegally parking in the Fan and surrounding neighborhoods, showing how common the violations are in one of the busiest parts of the city.
Catch up quick: Officers in the Third Precinct, which covers the Museum District, Carytown, Monument Avenue and more, announced the crackdown last month in a Facebook post.
- But RPD spokesperson Phon Hoonsan tells Axios that it began Jan. 7 and ended last Thursday, March 12.
- While the initiative was precinct-wide, there was a "primary focus" on the Fan, "which — as you know — can be highly congested with both vehicle and pedestrian traffic," Hoonsan said.
By the numbers: In that time frame, officers issued 204 parking citations — or at least three tickets a day.
- Nearly half (99) were for either parking in or too close to a crosswalk, a violation that can create blind spots and increase the risk of crashes.
The rest broke down to:
- Tow-away zone violations: 51.
- Stop sign violations: 44.
- Fire hydrant violations: 10.
Zoom in: City code says drivers can be fined $50 for parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, within 30 feet of a stop sign or 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
- It's $65 if a driver parks in a crosswalk, intersection or tow-away zone.
The intrigue: That means those citations added up to over $10,000 in fines within a roughly two-month period.
What's next: Any resident can report seeing these violations in 311 under "neighborhood road safety concern."