Fourth Street to Reopen Saturday, September 9

written by Newspack Team | September 7, 2017
The City of Charlottesville will open the Downtown Mall crossing at Fourth Street the morning of Saturday, September 9.
The crossing has remained closed since August 12, when a driver intentionally drove into a crowd of people at the intersection of Fourth Street SE and Water Street, tragically killing local resident Heather Heyer and injuring many others.  The driver of that vehicle, James Fields, Jr., has been arrested and charged with second degree murder and multiple felony counts of malicious wounding and hit and run.

City officials have been in contact with Ms. Heyer’s family and they have expressed support for the reopening of the street to traffic.  The City is also working with the family to honor Ms. Heyer’s memory according to their wishes.  As plans for any memorials are finalized, they will be announced.

Traffic engineering and public safety staffs are continuing to assess pedestrian safety in Downtown Charlottesville and other areas of the City where there is heavy foot traffic.  They will be making recommendations and implementing any changes deemed prudent.

The tragic events of August 12 have affected many in our community deeply.  Resources, including information on mental health and other services, can be found online at