It's another week in the puzzling world of Richmond life.

Mysterious monuments in Shockoe Slip, closing parking lots and more of your traffic issues … these are just a few of your questions answered in this week's "Why Richmond, Why?!?"

As always, Richmond, keep the questions coming and we'll keep getting you the answers.

I hope you can help me, there is a stone monument at 117 Shockoe Slip in the bottom with no plaque on it. There was one at some time, but not one now. It's been that way for at least 3 years that I know of. The monument is about 15 feet high and 10 feet by 10 feet square at the base.
-- Becca

Christy Everson, marketing and public relations for City of Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, answers:

"It’s my understanding that this is the base of the Christopher Newport Cross. The cross monument, which has the plaque on it, was moved about 10 years ago to the canal area at 12th and Byrd streets."

Why is the 22nd street parking lot off of Riverside Drive closed?  People who want to go down to the River are forced to park along 21st street, when there is an empty parking lot for that very purpose right across the street.
-- Jessica

I drive down Riverside Drive almost every day and I have noticed that the parking lots at 42nd St and 22nd St. are always locked. Why are they locked and will they be unlocked now that the weather is getting warmer?
-- Tom

Christy Everson answers again:

"We have repaired the huge sinkhole that was in the parking lot at 22nd Street on Riverside Drive and will re-open the lot for public parking once we are able to fund and install automatic gates that will close the lot to the public after sunset."

Friday was such a beautiful day. I went on a long run throughout the city. But the highlight of my run was trekking all over Belle Isle. So many young people outside, enjoying all of the natural spender Richmond has to offer, we are so lucky as Richmonders to have such a beautiful place. But after the multi-mile trek to the park I was extremely thirsty. I searched high and low for drinking water but to no avail. 

Why Richmond, why do our parks not have water fountains. Is our city so tight that people need to donate them? I give the city credit for supplying clean port-o-johns on Belle Isle but there are no water fountains. Please bring drinking water to our parks. 
-- Ben

"While many of our city parks have drinking fountains, there are none on Belle Isle because there is no water main to provide service to the island," Christy Everson.

 How come there are no merge signs from I-95 South to 64 West at the Bryan Park interchange and, additionally, no merge signs from Staples Mill onto 64 East? Both locations could use a few very highly visible signs each. When will this problem be corrected?
-- Wendy

Dawn Eischen, public relations manager, Richmond District, Virginia Department of Transportation, answers:

"Our traffic engineer inspected the areas in question and noted that merge signs are in place. However, there are merge signs missing in other areas along I-64 near the Bryan Park interchange. We will replace those signs within the next two weeks if we have the signs in stock. If we have to order them, it may take 30+ days until the new signs are installed."