The RMA newsroom serves as an information source for working members of the media who have a professional interest in the organization, its facilities and services or history. The RMA public relations department hopes you find this section of the website useful. Below are our latest news releases and media advisories. In addition, a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are available for your review.

Any media visits to RMA facilities must be authorized by the public relations department in advance.

April 30, 2010 -- Downtown Expressway to experience alternating lane closures

Motorists will encounter the following alternating lane closures on the Downtown Expressway near the 7th Street bridge beginning late evening Monday, May 3, through early morning Thursday, May 6. The lane closures are scheduled to begin each evening at 7 p.m. and end by 6 a.m. the following morning:
Monday, May 3 -- Left lane, eastbound
Tuesday, May 4 -- Right lane, eastbound
Wednesday, May 5 -- Left lane, westbound, immediately followed by a right lane closing
This maintenance project is weather permitting.

April 29, 2010 -- Boulevard Bridge to close for maintenance

The Boulevard “Nickel” Bridge will close Wednesday, May 5, at 11:59 p.m. until 6 a.m., Thursday, May 6, for general maintenance, including curb line sweeping and on-bridge street light replacement. This maintenance is weather permitting. Motorists should use alternate routes during this period.

Jan. 7, 2010 "Connecticut" RFP

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) is currently receiving proposals for the relocation of Connecticut the Native American sculpture currently located at The Diamond baseball stadium. 

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) is a regional political subdivision which owns and operates toll facilities, parking decks and The Diamond baseball stadium in Central Virginia. In addition, the organization operates Main Street Station, a National Historic Landmark owned by the City of Richmond.

The successful proposer will be responsible for all sculpture moving costs, and artist repair and supervision fees. Liability insurance must be provided.

The RFP document will be available beginning today, Thursday, January 7, 2010 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time by calling (804) 523-3300. The proposal shall follow the exact format of the RFP, and each of the headings of the RFP must be addressed. 

We are requesting that one original, plus five (5) copies of the completed proposal be returned in an opaque envelope to the attention of “Connecticut Proposal” Advisory Committee, Richmond Metropolitan Authority, 919 East Main St., Suite 600, Richmond, VA 23219 by 12 p.m. EDT on Friday, January 29, 2010. Proposals become the property of the Authority and will not be returned to the proposers. The Authority reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

Jan. 4, 2010 -- RMA seeks new home for “Connecticut” sculpture

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) will issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) this week in an effort to find a new home for the Native American sculpture “Connecticut” currently located at The Diamond baseball stadium.

The art piece, crafted in 1983 by local artist Paul DiPasquale, has been displayed at The Diamond since 1985 as a team icon for the former Richmond Braves baseball team. Now that the Richmond Flying Squirrels have taken up residence at the baseball stadium, and the symbol is no longer representative of the facility’s new baseball team, a decision has been made to relocate the sculpture to another location, preferably within the greater Richmond area.

An advisory group from the art community has been formed to assist the RMA with the decision on the future home of Connecticut. A number of criteria will be involved in the process including, the proposer’s ability to maintain and care for the art, its ability to pay for the sculpture’s relocation costs, the future location and the public access to the sculpture. The committee will also take into account the proposer’s commitment to the sculpture’s long term sustainability.

Proposals are due by Friday, Jan. 29. A final decision is scheduled by the RMA Board of Directors prior to the 2010 baseball season.

May 22, 2009 -- Work to begin on Boulevard Bridge through mid-June 

The Boulevard “Nickel” Bridge will undergo scheduled maintenance beginning Tuesday, May 26 through Tuesday, June 16, daily between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. During this period, motorists will experience an alternating traffic pattern through the temporary traffic control zone. Drivers should pay special attention to signage in the area, and be prepared to stop for periods of time as directed by flaggers and the maintenance crew. In addition, pedestrians who utilize the Bridge’s walkway should also be mindful, particularly in the immediate work zone.

April 21, 2009 -- RMA approves use and management agreement with Richmond Baseball Club

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) Board of Directors today approved a Stadium Use and Management Agreement negotiated between the RMA and the Richmond Baseball Club, LC (RBC).  The two-year agreement is effective Jan. 1, 2010, and includes a one-year extension option through 2012.

Once RBC acquires a minor league baseball team, The Diamond will serve as the playing venue for the team until a decision can be reached regarding the future home of baseball in the region.

“The partnership between the RMA and RBC is the first step in allowing RBC to successfully bring baseball back to the Richmond community,” said Mike Berry, RMA general manager.  “Although a firm decision has not yet been reached regarding a new or renovated stadium, we are optimistic that this agreement will serve as the foundation for what ultimately will lead to professional baseball being played in the region for many years to come.

Sept. 23, 2008 -- Forest Hill Avenue off-ramp to close for paving

The Powhite Parkway Forest Hill Avenue off-ramp will be closed tonight from midnight until 5 a.m. for final paving. Motorists are encouraged to travel Powhite Parkway south through the toll plaza, to the Chippenham Parkway north on-ramp, and proceed to Forest Hill Avenue east.

Sept. 4, 2008 -- RMA toll increase goes into effect

Toll rates will increase for all Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) Expressway System toll plazas and on- and off-ramps on Monday, Sept. 8. Based on two-axle vehicle rates, tolls on the Powhite Parkway mainline toll plaza, the Downtown Expressway mainline toll plaza and Forest Hill ramps will increase to 70 cents. Toll rates for the Boulevard Bridge and Second Street ramp will increase to 35 cents, while the Douglasdale ramp will cost 20 cents, and the Eleventh Street ramp will increase to 30 cents.

The RMA Board of Directors voted to increase toll pricing along the RMA Expressway System earlier this year. The Board’s decision was based upon the recommendation of the Authority’s staff, engineers and traffic and revenue consultants, who cited the ever-increasing costs of maintaining the roadway system and implementing future improvements. It is estimated that continued maintenance and capital improvements to the Expressway System for the next 10 years will reach $80 million. The Authority’s last toll increase was a decade ago.

Revenues from the adjusted tolls will go toward future maintenance and capital improvement projects in an effort to better serve its customers. Since 1998, operating and maintenance expenses have increased by 56 percent as a result of rising prices of materials such as concrete, asphalt and steel.

The RMA receives no federal or state tax dollars. Its funding comes strictly from user fees in the form of tolls. In addition, the RMA’s several bond resolutions prohibit the commingling funds of various projects. For example, tolls collected on the Expressway System cannot and do not subsidize operations of The Diamond or the parking facilities.

Since 1998, the RMA has invested more than $91 million in capital improvements along the Expressway System, including the implementation of electronic toll collection (now called E-ZPass), installation of the new Powhite Parkway express lanes, widening of the Parkway, application of asphalt overlays on a majority of the RMA’s 46 lane miles, maintenance of its 36 bridges, as well as other routine facility maintenance items.

Sept. 3, 2008 --Atlanta Braves terminate stadium agreement with the RMA--Termination allows for discussion with potential new teams—

On Sept. 2, the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) received notice that the Atlanta Braves will be terminating the Stadium Use and Management Agreement between the two organizations.

With the termination of this agreement with the Atlanta Braves, the RMA anticipates that formal discussions can now begin with a new team (or teams) to replace the loss of the Richmond Braves. The RMA further expects that in the next several weeks, Minor League Baseball will contact existing baseball team owners, as well as potential team owners, in an effort to recommend a new team (or teams) for relocation and formal discussions.

It is the objective of the RMA’s regional partners, including the City of Richmond and Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover counties, and Minor League Baseball, to have a new baseball organization for the Greater Richmond community in 2009.

Dec. 26, 2007-- Powhite Parkway/Split Plaza project continues

The Powhite Parkway/Split Plaza construction project is still underway. This new initiative will introduce three express lanes in each direction along the Parkway, allowing E-ZPass customers to maintain near highway speeds on the toll road. This project is the final phase of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority’s ambitious program, dating back to 2001, which will reduce traffic congestion on the expressway system.

The Split Plaza project will separate the toll road’s northbound and southbound components, located several hundred yards from each other, to make room for six Open Road Toll (ORT) lanes. The design is similar to the roadway layout along Interstate-895/Pocahontas Parkway. Electronic toll-paying customers will be able to travel at 45 mph through barrier-free toll lanes, thus eliminating the stop-and-go traffic they currently experience. The express lanes make full use of new technologies that electronic tolling has enabled in the last few years. One such technology is state-of-the-art video camera enforcement -- a security measure implemented to combat toll violations in ORT lanes.

The new southbound toll plaza is scheduled to be completed in spring 2008, with its ORT lanes opening approximately six weeks later. The northbound construction will begin in early summer 2008, and conclude this fall.

The project is expected to reduce roadway congestion, reduce exhaust emissions into the environment, and accommodate future traffic increases resulting from residential and commercial growth occurring downtown and the surrounding counties of Chesterfield and Henrico.

Customers who have questions about the project, may contact the RMA at info@the-rma.org or 804-523-3307.

Aug. 21, 2007 - The RMA, Richmond Braves reach lease extension agreement

(Richmond, Va.), The Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) and the Richmond Braves AAA baseball team have reached a lease extension agreement, allowing the Braves to continue to play their home games at The Diamond baseball stadium. Terms of the extension will allow the minor league team of the Atlanta Braves to play at The Diamond through the end of the 2010 baseball season.

The Diamond has been home to the Richmond Braves team for more than 20 years since it first opened in 1985 as the successor to Parker Field stadium. In 1984, an amendment to the Enabling Act authorized the RMA to construct and own a baseball stadium. That same year, Parker Field was demolished and rebuilt as The Diamond.

“We are very pleased that this lease extension has been reached between the RMA and the Braves organization, with approval from our board of directors,” said Robert “Mike” Berry, RMA general manager. “We are excited that the Braves will continue to call our city ‘home’ for the near future. The RMA remains committed to providing a quality baseball venue for the Richmond Braves given our available resources. In the meantime, we also look forward to working with the Richmond regional governments as we continue further discussion about renovation of The Diamond or constructing a new stadium.”

“This agreement enables us to continue to play in Richmond while we pursue a new stadium,” said Mike Plant, Atlanta Braves Executive Vice President of Business Operations. “That is our primary objective for our fans and players.”

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) is a regional political subdivision which owns and operates toll facilities, parking decks and The Diamond baseball stadium in central Virginia. In addition, the organization operates Main Street Station, a National Historic Landmark owned by the City of Richmond.

Created in 1966 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly, the RMA Board of Directors consists of 11 members – six from the City of Richmond, two from Chesterfield and Henrico Counties and one secretary and general counsel.

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