VCU news

The Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department expects heavy traffic in downtown Richmond during local graduation ceremonies being held at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.

Twenty-five schools from Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent counties, Saint Gertrude High School and ECPI University are hosting ceremonies between June 5 and 16. Attendance will range from 400 to more than 7,500.

VCU Police has collaborated with VCU Parking & Transportation, the city of Richmond, the Richmond Police Department and the Virginia Department of Transportation to develop a comprehensive plan to mitigate traffic impacts. (GRTC has issued a service alert ahead of graduations.)

“We’re actively working with our partners to secure the area around the Siegel Center to accommodate high volumes of pedestrian and vehicular traffic,” said VCU Police Capt. Jonathan Siok. “Safety is always at the forefront for us as thousands of guests are coming into the area and departing from our facilities.”

VCU Police and the Richmond Police Department will have additional staffing to direct traffic at more than a dozen intersections, including those near Exit 76B (Belvidere Street) off Interstate 95 and along Belvidere and Broad streets west to Hermitage Road. As in previous years, digital signs in the area will encourage local drivers to take alternate routes during peak travel times.

No parking signs will be posted along West Marshall Street, between Bowe and North Harrison streets, behind the Siegel Center; towing enforcement will go into effect on June 5. This area will be reserved for buses to drop off graduates.

VCU Police is also working with the city to establish 20-minute parking zones on nearby streets to accommodate customers at local businesses.

To ensure that VCU parking subscribers can park safely and with minimal impacts, VCU Parking & Transportation will be relocating parking subscribers from the West Broad Street Deck between June 6 and 16. Reciprocal parking (for drivers with MCV Campus permits that can be used to park in the West Broad Street Deck) will not be permitted in the West Broad Street Deck until June 17.

Parking subscribers should have received an email from VCU Parking & Transportation outlining temporary accommodations.

Blue, red, green and yellow parking passes, issued by area schools, will be required for guests parking in assigned decks at VCU.

A map of routes is available for download on the VCU website.

Parking information for VCU employees as well as graduation ceremony attendees is available on the VCU Parking & Transportation website, including directions for entry and exit from specific parking decks.

For additional questions about traffic, parking and access, call the VCU Police non-emergency line at (804) 828-1196. LiveSafe users can also submit questions through the app. Police dispatchers monitor the non-emergency line and LiveSafe messages 24/7.