312 replies to this topic

[tombarnes]

This is ridiculous.  From the Virginian Pilot....

http://home.hamptonr...n=93558&tref=po

Edited by tombarnes, 26 January 2006 - 01:34 AM.

[vdogg]

tombarnes, on Jan 26 2006, 02:30 AM, said:

This is ridiculous.  From the Virginian Pilot....

http://home.hamptonr...n=93558&tref=po

It's sad they feel they have time to debate such nonsense.

[rusthebuss]

That is a stupid song! Why do we even have to have a state song anyways?

[Cadeho]

Why do we need a state bird or beverage? I think it's tradition... our state song is like our state anthem. It should show our pride in the state... like anyone really knew the old one... or any of the state symbols other than the bird and flower.

But that song... it's about a region instead about the state. Heck I'd nominate "FFV" from 1776 over that one.

Edited by Cadeho, 26 January 2006 - 11:32 PM.

[lammius]

How about "Virginia" by Clipse?

[urbanfan]

Cadeho, on Jan 27 2006, 12:29 AM, said:

Why do we need a state bird or beverage? I think it's tradition... our state song is like our state anthem. It should show our pride in the state... like anyone really knew the old one... or any of the state symbols other than the bird and flower.

But that song... it's about a region instead about the state. Heck I'd nominate "FFV" from 1776 over that one.

What? Carry me back to old Virginny?  I don't think there's too many people who don't know it.  It's a pretty easy song to remember.

[tombarnes]

urbanfan, on Jan 27 2006, 09:13 AM, said:

What? Carry me back to old Virginny?  I don't think there's too many people who don't know it.  It's a pretty easy song to remember.

Carry Me Back to Old Virgnny was retired for obvious reasons.  I don't mind the idea of a state song, but the selection they have made defies reason.  I also heartily agree that too much legislatorial time should not be wasted on the subject.  Choose something and get on with more important matters.

[JPN0731]

VAGATOR, on Jan 25 2006, 11:44 PM, said:

-The Third Tunnel and not an enlarged HRBT will be built. As the Pinners Point project has showed, expanding the Port of Hampton Roads into the largest on the East Coast is the a major goal for the state.

-The Third Tunnel is the best option to relieving if done right. That means I-64 has to be enlarged to 4 lanes(one HOV) to Williamsburg and 3 lanes to Richmond, and second midtown tunnel and an expanded 158 out of Suffolk to I-95 Richmond. This would allow Suffolk, Cheaspeake, and lower Virginia Beach to avoid 1-64 all together, thus moving a lot of traffic of that road.

As you say, the 3rd crossing is the priority for the state to develop the Port of Virginia.  Therefore the state and the federal government should be chipping in a good portion of the cost because they are the two biggest factors in making the cost of a new crossing almost double.

The 3rd crossing will do very little to aleviate traffic on the HRBT.  VDOT even admits this in their reports (which no, I do not have on my computer but I will look for them...) Even if the Midtown tunnel were expanded, it still dumps out onto city streets that are not freeway-grade.  The downtown tunnel is constantly backed up in either direction every rush hour.  Most of the peak traffic here occurs in the summer months and most of the tourists have no desire to take a huge detour to sit in another traffic jam anyway.  Even if they take 664 and then go back over the "uptown tunnel" or whatever it is that is slated to meet 64 near the present 564, they will still have to sit in the massive traffic jam from 564 to the High Rise Bridge.

None of the proposals seem to address HR's worst traffic problems: 1. the HRBT, 2. I-64 from 546 all the way past the High Rise Bridge, 3. the 264 interchange and 264 at the 4. Newtown, 5. Independance, 6. Rosemont and 7. Lynnhaven interchanges and the 8. High Rise Bridge.  The 3rd crossing is an overhyped and overpriced system that will only aid the ports and developers wanting to turn Suffolk into Chesapeake.  Again I am all for that option, but we should have a VOTE on it and we should also be refunded the difference if we vote for the cheaper option (expanded HRBT) and the state still goes ahead with the 3rd crossing.

[Stunad]

I agree with the notion that an expanded HRBT is the best option for our traffic woes. The third crossing, from what I've seen, will just create another bottleneck down stream in the system. In my proposal (haha)the current HRBT should be used as an extention to the HOV on I-64...that way there would be HOV from Chesapeake to Newport News. They should build a new span over the water that can accomodate three lanes in each direction and run parallel to the current span. Imagine a commute to either side of the water with region wide HOV...maybe folks would use it if they didn't have to mix back into the clogged highway like they do now.

[urbanfan]

I think the best option to solve this problem is to just build the 564 extension out to the MM with an extension down to 164 without expanding the current 664 and floating in new tunnels.  The capicity of MM is no where near capacity therefore why widen it.  Just build the 564 extension with the extension to 164 and the port wins by having direct access to tunnels that are more than adequate in height.  Then take all of the other money that would have been spent on new tunnels for the MM and put that toward new tunnels for hampton roads bridge tunnel.  Every body wins, we get a wider I-64 and the ports get there direct access for little more than the full price of the third crossing project.

[rusthebuss]

urbanfan, on Jan 30 2006, 02:32 PM, said:

I think the best option to solve this problem is to just build the 564 extension out to the MM with an extension down to 164 without expanding the current 664 and floating in new tunnels.  The capicity of MM is no where near capacity therefore why widen it.  Just build the 564 extension with the extension to 164 and the port wins by having direct access to tunnels that are more than adequate in height.  Then take all of the other money that would have been spent on new tunnels for the MM and put that toward new tunnels for hampton roads bridge tunnel.  Every body wins, we get a wider I-64 and the ports get there direct access for little more than the full price of the third crossing project.

I think they want to build the 664 side out because of the large amount of development going on in Northern Suffolk and all around that area. So this would help for future traffic problems. I don't think there is a easy solution for this. They should have been looking for solutions before the problem got this bad. Lets be honest too, this 564 extention is not for us but for the marine terminal.

[lammius]

hoobo, on Jan 31 2006, 04:07 PM, said:

That did not impress Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, who wondered if Suit’s bill would allow for professional poker, pool playing, swimming and wrestling.

And so we get into technicalities.  SB694 as written ammends the Virginia Baseball Authority bill to be the Virginia Sports Facilities Authority which allows the diversion of funds generated at the venue go towards debt payments on a professional sports facility.  How could poker and billards be considered sports?  Pro wrastlin (note: wrestling involves Roman-Greco or freestyle rules not sequins) is a show not a sport.  And what's wrong with swimming?  Anyway, if any of these activities can be shown to support debt financing on a facility, then what's wrong with them.  Why can't politicians think with their heads instead of with their campaign coffers?

I should probably save this for the Coffee House, but IMO Del Marshall is a nutcase and causes far too much ridiculous controversy in the General Assembly.

[wrldcoupe4]

Nice plug for Virginia's capital tonight  

Edited by wrldcoupe4, 31 January 2006 - 09:28 PM.

[rusthebuss]

wrldcoupe4, on Jan 31 2006, 10:28 PM, said:

Nice plug for Virginia's capital tonight  

[gosscj]

lammius, on Jan 31 2006, 09:04 PM, said:

I should probably save this for the Coffee House, but IMO Del Marshall is a nutcase and causes far too much ridiculous controversy in the General Assembly.

He's the delegate who introduced the current proposal to ammend the state constitution to forbid homosexual marriages, civil unions and leal contracts. I hate him. I attended a recent meeting of the House Priviledges and Elections Committee (which he is on) where they talked at some length about the ammendment and his remarks and demeanor were extraordinarily disrespectful. I wonder what could possibly cause him to oppose the bill - unless Prince William County manages to land an NBA franchise, it has nothing to do with him or his constituents!

[vdogg]

rusthebuss, on Jan 31 2006, 10:30 PM, said:

I second that.

[erdogs]

gosscj, on Jan 31 2006, 10:40 PM, said:

He's the delegate who introduced the current proposal to ammend the state constitution to forbid homosexual marriages, civil unions and leal contracts. I hate him. I attended a recent meeting of the House Priviledges and Elections Committee (which he is on) where they talked at some length about the ammendment and his remarks and demeanor were extraordinarily disrespectful. I wonder what could possibly cause him to oppose the bill - unless Prince William County manages to land an NBA franchise, it has nothing to do with him or his constituents!

Hate is kind of strong, thats what he practices. Be the better man. His county has no chance at any franchise, that is why he is against it.

[wrldcoupe4]

vdogg, on Jan 31 2006, 10:45 PM, said:

I second that.

The democratic response to the president's state of the union address came from the Governor's Mansion in Richmond via Tim Kaine. It was just nice to hear that

[vdogg]

wrldcoupe4, on Jan 31 2006, 10:58 PM, said:

The democratic response to the president's state of the union address came from the Governor's Mansion in Richmond via Tim Kaine. It was just nice to hear that

The Presidents State of the Union was tonight?   Shows you how much I pay attention to Bush.  

[rusthebuss]

vdogg, on Jan 31 2006, 11:00 PM, said:

The Presidents State of the Union was tonight?   Shows you how much I pay attention to Bush.  

Kaine is an idiot