1374 replies to this topic

[Titoroski]

This is simple.  Everything about Hampton Roads (or should I say Norfolk, since the defense presence in Norfolk is the only real reason this place is going through what it's going through) is based on a conspiracy to keep the area relatively simple while also not easy accessible from the outside.  Come'on people!  Does anyone besides myself see the clear conspiracy here!?  Really?  Norfolk get's passed up by the interstate system and High Speed Rail, with over 1 and a half million people in the metro?  No one on this forum thinks this is interesting?  

The real question is how the gov of this state, and for that matter, country managed to convince us for so long that they just didn't know or just can't afford to take care of the Hampton Roads area!

Let's go people!  The eyes!  Let's open them por favor!!!

[mlsimons]

http://hamptonroads....sal-expand-hrbt
Hampton Roads Crossings' concept would widen the HRBT from two lanes to four in each direction and improve the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel and the James River Bridge for $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion.

The proposal would be funded by tolls - $4 to $6 on all three crossings. A source close to the project said the toll range is a worst-case scenario.

[VBIllini13]

I really hope this plan comes to fruition!

http://hamptonroads....ries-rail-buses

[ronsmytheiii]

The tunnel LRT concept has the most synergy for reducing traffic, at the very least Peninsula traffic could park near the tunnel and take the train to the Norfolk Naval Base, both increasing transportation capacity while reducing car traffic in the other tunnels during rush hour.

[vdogg]

High speed rail heading for train wreck

Quote

High-speed rail may be headed for a wreck.

Incoming House Republicans may trim or cut funding for all the high-speed projects in the U.S.

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., ranking GOP member of the House  Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and in line to head it, said  high-speed trains are a good idea, but he doesn't agree with the  projects selected by the Transportation Department for funding,  according to an Associated Press article.

Mica said in the article that he thought that the Northeast is  probably the only region in the U.S. with a population density great  enough to financially support a high-speed rail network.

Mica said the administration squandered the $8 billion allocated for high-speed rail projects.

He said the money has been given to dozens of projects that were  marginal at best to spend on slow-speed trains to nowhere, the AP  reported.

Ray Taylor of Future of Hampton Roads Inc., an advocate of passenger  rail for Hampton Roads, said Mica's remarks introduce some realism into  the national project and will reduce the hype and energy that has swept  the nation.

"This, in turn, could reduce the new level of attention that has  developed here in Hampton Roads on the subject of high-speed rail over  the past months since the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning  Organization's historic resolution on the subject late last year," said  Taylor, referring to the endorsement of a high-speed rail route along  Route 460 from Norfolk with enhancements for passenger rail on the  Peninsula along Interstate 64....

Can't say I didn't see this one coming...

[Norfolk4Life]

its not necessarily a bad thing for us. I think that the HR>DC corridor supports the traffic needed to make HSR feasible. We might actually get money since they wont be wasting in in places that wont use it. 

[urbanlife]

But I bet Mica can be talking into any new highway expansion as being needed anywhere in the country...cause lord knows this country needs more interstate.

[ronsmytheiii]

Quote

The first of two public meetings on the Hampton Roads Regional Transit Vision Plan will be held tonight in Newport News.  The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. with a presentation at 6:30  at City Center, Fountain Plaza II Conference Room, 700 Town Center  Drive, according to the city.

The second meeting will be held Wednesday at Hampton Roads Transit, 1500 Monticello Ave. in Norfolk.

The agency is holding the meetings in partnership with the Virginia  Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Williamsburg Area  Transit Authority.

http://hamptonroads....comment-1029035



Commuter rail looks like LRT with a diesel engine instead of electric:



Street cars look like single car trains:



High speed ferry:



Bus rapid transit (hopefully not in Virginia Beach)



And of course Light Rail:

Edited by ronsmytheiii, 30 November 2010 - 01:16 PM.

[rusthebuss]

Toll fears from local leaders

Man those tolls look crazy. It really would kill this region

[VBIllini13]

rusthebuss, on 07 December 2010 - 03:58 PM, said:

Toll fears from local leaders

Man those tolls look crazy. It really would kill this region

I agree. Especially on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, nobody would go that way.  You can't impose tolls this high on the only way of moving in and out of the region by land.  There needs to be alternate (RAIL) ways of moving in and out of the region in place before tolls upward of $3 can be put in place.

[rusthebuss]

VBIllini13, on 07 December 2010 - 10:03 PM, said:

I agree. Especially on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, nobody would go that way.  You can't impose tolls this high on the only way of moving in and out of the region by land.  There needs to be alternate (RAIL) ways of moving in and out of the region in place before tolls upward of $3 can be put in place.

The problem is with this sorry state......they take alot from us and give very little back to us. They need to stop treating us a like a red headed step child and keep their hands out of our cookie jar without replacing some of them cookies!

[mlsimons]

I hate tolls as much as the next guys, but...
Does anyone else see this possible reality as a way of encouraging localism: more people living closer to where they actually work?

It seems like all these tolls will curb the 21st century tendency to sprawl and keep more residents living in higher densities.

On the flip side, these tolls will create an economic drain on our region, with millions each year going into private hands mostly like overseas. This is not sustainable.

Which will have the greater effect on our economy; the pro's of localism or the con's of a severe economic leak?

[ronsmytheiii]

Well high speed rail might be iffy with the incoming Republican majority in the House of Reps, but passenger rail chugs on:

Quote

Gov. Bob McDonnell is expected to announce today that Virginia has  signed a deal with Norfolk Southern Railyway Company to upgrade tracks  that run between Norfolk and Petersburg so they are suitable for  passenger trains. Work on the improvements is scheduled to begin in 2011 and will be  funded with an $87 million rail enhancement grant. In addition to track  upgrades and related enhancements, the project also will include  construction of a new track connection near Petersburg

Quote

Virginia is in negotiations with CSX to make appropriate improvements  to its tracks for passenger rail and with Amtrak about train service.The new route would become part of Amtrak's regional Virginia  service. Trains traveling those tracks would operate at speeds up to 79  mph. It's unclear what the fares for the ride would be.

http://hamptonroads....chmond?cid=ltst

[Norfolk4Life]

ronsmytheiii, on 20 December 2010 - 11:18 AM, said:

Well high speed rail might be iffy with the incoming Republican majority in the House of Reps, but passenger rail chugs on:

then we need to call our representatives and show them that investment in mass transportation is the only one the truly creates wealth for our state. highway construction will ALWAYS lead to the need for more highway construction and will drain the wealth of our region and state by forcing the expenditure of money on oil-related (oil, gasoline, asphalt, etc.) products: all of which leave the state. mass transit money stays in our region and allows users to keep more of their money.

[zeppelin14]

Looks like this one project between the downtown and midtown tunnels is a go:

http://www.wvec.com/...-125901753.html