Richmond Region Transportation

[calwinston]

Um, the state will still be receiving taxes on the sale of the liquor which might be as high as the mark-up the state was receiving when it owned the liquor stores.

Half of the money was profit 120-140 million while the rest was taxes which account to about 80 million. So what are you going to do double the tax on alcohol? Sorry cant do that Gov McDonnell said he's not raising taxes period. Where will the state recieve the other 120 million after 3-4 years? This is only a windfall to hold McDonnell up while he is in office and after the next governor will be holding the bucket being forced to raise a tax to keep the money coming in for transportation.

Edited July 27, 2010 by calwinston

[Brent]

I'm tired of these cowards dicking around. Transportation hasn't been adequately funded for 15-20 years now. Do your jobs, raise taxes and maintain the state's infrastructure. It is time to stop waiting for a miracle. Taxes have been low in VA, we have gone through huge economic booms, have been cutting services to the bone (long before this recession too) and it has been proven that the money for transportation hasn't just materialized. It is time to pony up and pay for our needs.

[HopHead]

I think Brent is spot on, though I probably wouldn't have put it so eloquently . Doesn't VA also have one of the lowest state gas taxes in the country as well? Raising that alone could go along way.

[jbjust]

My understanding is that the existing liquor taxes would be supplemented with an additional fee the newly privatized stores pay Virginia, which is intended to largely replace the "mark-up" profit that Virginia currently makes.

It is ridiculous in 2010 that we have a government entity in charge of running retail stores to sell liquor.

[calwinston]

My understanding is that the existing liquor taxes would be supplemented with an additional fee the newly privatized stores pay Virginia, which is intended to largely replace the "mark-up" profit that Virginia currently makes.

It is ridiculous in 2010 that we have a government entity in charge of running retail stores to sell liquor.

Gov McDonnell needs to just be honest and tell us he doesnt want Virginia running retail stores and instead of using transportation as a reason. 300-500 million doesnt even put a dent in Virginias transportation needs!

[wrldcoupe4]

Anyone else liking that fresh new pavement on I-64 between I-95 and Parham?

[Icetera]

Anyone else liking that fresh new pavement on I-64 between I-95 and Parham?

Yes!! Other than the rock in my windshield, that has made my commute to Charlottesville much more tolerable.

[calwinston]

Anyone else liking that fresh new pavement on I-64 between I-95 and Parham?

That's great and it's about time they did something to that road. Unfortunately it took federal stimulus money to do anything about it! If you had to wait for VDOT and government officials then it would probably have took another 10 years.

[calwinston]

"McDonnell to push ABC sell at town hall meetings"

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/jul/29/abcsgat29-ar-354719/

Edited July 29, 2010 by calwinston

[crashvt03]

Yes!! Other than the rock in my windshield, that has made my commute to Charlottesville much more tolerable.

You too, huh? I was on the newly paved section last Friday and got a rock to the windshield as well.

Edited July 30, 2010 by crashvt03

[burt]

When a new train running between Lynchburg and Boston was added by Amtrak a few months ago, ridership doubled anticipated numbers.

Figures are not yet in for the recent addition of a 5th hourly train in the mornings between Richmond and Boston, but it's generally conceded that frequency encourages train usage.

This is what happened when a mid-day train was added on the roundtrip Charlotte/Raleigh Amtrak run:

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/08/02/daily18.html#ixzz0vUuM7LM0

[calwinston]

At a cost of $77 million VRE adding 19 locomotives to its existing fleet for future expansion

Virginia Railway Express added the first of 19 new locomotives to its fleet Monday -- a move designed to improve the efficiency of the system and pave the way for future expansions, VRE officials said.

"In the middle of the worst economy we've seen, we were able to budget for new locomotives," said Paul Milde, chairman of the VRE operations board. "I am confident that when these new locomotives are all put into service that VRE will be better positioned to ease congestion, decrease pollution and improve the quality of life for our riders and the region."

VRE officials said the new units will allow for adding capacity in the future, as they can carry up to 10 cars instead of six. VRE is the 10th-largest commuter rail system in the nation, with average daily ridership of more than 17,000.

http://www.washingto...0080306678.html

Will this mean future expansion into Richmond??

[burt]

At a cost of $77 million VRE adding 19 locomotives to its existing fleet for future expansion

http://www.washingto...0080306678.html

Will this mean future expansion into Richmond??

Probably not -- until a third rail is laid between Fredericksburg and Richmond.

Ashland's fear of losing rail service was a principal reason a high speed rail line utilizing a vastly improved Buckingham line from MSS to a connection with the CSX main at Doswel was deemed less favorable than the Acca Yard/Staples Mill/Ashland route.

A station serving the northern suburbs of Richmond as well as Ashland could have been built along the Buckingham line near the junction of US 301 and I-295.

If and when train frequencies increase, Ashland may rue the day when they insisted on the continuation of all train service along their main street. VRE commuter service thru the town could have served the locals while express high speed trains used the Main Street Station/Doswel route. Back-ups at the England Street/Railway Avenue crossing are already a nightmare.

Edited August 5, 2010 by burt

[LordChesterfield]

I really wish they would scrap all the plans they have for "high-speed rail" that they have now (it's going to be a joke any way). We need a forward thinking, independent board to decide how to proceed. Americans are so backward thinking in this. And I'm sorry, but small towns like Ashland should not be visited by high-speed rail... it slows it down way too much. I don't think that a couple thousand people living in Ashland should dictate the route of an interstate rail line any way. If they're afraid their town might lose business, move to Richmond.

On another note, I spent some time thinking about rail for Richmond, which could be done in 10-15 years easily running parallel to many existing rail lines. What do you think of it?

\

Red Line

Amelia Courthouse

Hallsboro

Watkin's Center

Huguenot

Chippenham

Manchester West

Main Street Station

Highland Park

Mechanicsville

Blue Line

RIR

Sandston

Stony Run Road

Main Street Station

Barton Heights

Boulevard- Science Museum of VA

Dumbarton- Staples Mill

*Glenside And Broad

*Gaskins

*Short Pump

**West Creek

Green Line

Hopewell Downtown

Fort Lee

Petersburg

Ettrick- VSU

Chester

Bensley

Manchester East

Main Street Station

Barton Heights

Boulevard- Science Museum of VA

Dumbarton- Staples Mill

Glen Allen

Ashland

* new rail path (follows Interstate 64)

** future station possible

How much money would this cost if I wanted to put in two new rail lines running parallel to the ones already there?

Edited August 6, 2010 by LordChesterfield

[burt]

'Virgina Railway Express may transport soldiers from Fort Lee to Fort AP Hill"

I applaud the army for doing this to relieve congestion on our roadways and for having the foresight that rail is logistically better!

Now only if VRE can transport and increase service for Virginians from Richmond to Petersburg and Fredricksburg on a hourly basis.

http://www2.timesdis...IL19-ar-212441/

The Army has approved transporting military personnel via rail between Ft. Lee near Petersburg and Fort AP Hill in Caroline County near Bowling Green.

For more detail, read the June 19th RTD story provided by calwinston above.

Meanwhile, this piece from today's RTD confirms the Army's approval:

http://www2.timesdis...at05-ar-488341/

Edited September 5, 2010 by burt

[burt]

This story from Saturday's Petersburg Progress-Index has a little more information about the Army trains that will transport soldiers between Fort Lee and Fort AP Hill.

Apparently, they will operate by an arrangement with AMTRAK. The locomotives and rail cars, purchased from Virginia Railway Express, will be maintained at Fort Lee and will overnight on rail sidings at Milford near Ft. AP Hill after northbound trips.

Military personnel will board at a station on the Fort Lee base. Norfolk Southern tracks parallel Rt. 36 between Ft. Lee and Petersburg, at which point the trains will switch to CSX tracks for the northbound journey of about 75 miles.

From Saturday's Progress-Index:

http://progress-inde...p-hill-1.991096

Edited September 6, 2010 by burt

[burt]

This story is enough to make train enthusiasts throw up their hands in dispair.

If this frame of mind prevails among transportation and political leaders there will be little or no improvement in surface transportation in the US for a generation.

From Peter Bacque in today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/business/2010/oct/09/b-rail09-ar-551687/

[MissySchmidt]

This story is enough to make train enthusiasts throw up their hands in dispair.

If this frame of mind prevails among transportation and political leaders there will be little or no improvement in surface transportation in the US for a generation.

From Peter Bacque in today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...il09-ar-551687/

Thelma speaks the truth, I fear. There is not the money or the political will to make this happen any quicker.

[burt]

Thelma speaks the truth, I fear. There is not the money or the political will to make this happen any quicker.

Welcome, MissySchmidt from Hampton Roads. Come visit here often, please.

Maybe Thelma and other Virginia officials could urge President Obama and the lame duck congress to pass an infrastructure stimulus bill after next month's election.

North Carolina is far more active than Virginia in rail readiness and planning. They can't get to the northeast by train without passing thru Richmond. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, converting the old Seaboard Air Line right-of-way to high-speed capability beween Petersburg and Raleigh falls in the North Carolina assigned Federal rail subsidy plan.

Hopefully, North Carolina has someone more influential and persuasive than Thelma heading up their program because it may benefit Virginia.

Edited October 10, 2010 by burt

[Brent]

Spread anything out over 20 years and the political will only gets harder to come by. Thelma could be voted out of office ten times over between now and 2030. Without a sense of urgency there will never be any political will. That's ten more election cycles for this to get dragged through the mud. Not good enough. $1.8 billion is chump change.

[burt]

John Murden reports in River District News that Greater Richmond Transit Company will be holding sessions to enlighten attendees about a proposed Bus Rapid Transit route between Rocketts Landing and Willow Lawn.

The first meeting will be Tuesday, October 19th from 6 to 8PM at the DMV building on West Broad Street near The Science Museum. The next night, Wednesday, October 20th between 6 and 8PM, the meeting will be at Main Street Station.

A visual presentation will be at 7PM on both evenings with discussions before and after.

Warning: If you want to see the Map of Study on the "Learn More" page it is a pdf.

http://study.ridegrtc.com/

Edited October 12, 2010 by burt

[burt]

John M. Lewis, Jr., CEO of GRTC Transit System in Richmond has been named new CEO of Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority in Orlando.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/oct/15/grtc15-ar-564236/

[burt]

Here's a big lead story from today's newspaper about Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) which is proposed for a route starting at Rocketts Landing, thence along East Main Street to 14th, then north to East Broad, then continuing in designated lanes to Willow Lawn.

Why its western terminus would be Willow Lawn rather than Short Pump is not explained. Both are in Henrico County.

Also, the Mayor's plan for a bus transfer station on East Grace between 6th and 7th Streets, which is sure to be controvertial, is not mentioned, although in an accompanying piece (see Related Links) a proposal for such a facility at Main Street Station is on the "to do" list.

Why don't these planners entertain ideas like an elevated "mag lev" system? By the time they get around to doing anything at all, that type of urban transportation will have been perfected.

http://www2.timesdis...gi18-ar-569421/

WARNING: If you wish to access it, here's a pdf file showing the proposed route with spaced stops:

http://study.ridegrt...0Area%20Map.pdf

Edited October 19, 2010 by burt

[Brent]

Why would they ever entertain going to Rockets Landing? BRT isn't some kind of mall link, it is mass transportation. The area around Rocket's Landing is sparsely populated (even 20 years from now when it is built out it will be sparsely populated). The people that live there have cars, nice cars, and work in Glenn Allen. They don't need a bus, they wont ride the bus. Why not just take the route down Williamsburg road to Main Street (you know, where people live and actually take the bus)? It is close enough to Rockets for people to walk to a stop from there.

It just seems like Richmond will never get serious about transit. It is treated like either a theme park ride or a tourism stimulator. GRTC knows what its riders want and need. They have decades of data that shows commuting patterns of their riders. Map a GD course and get on with it. Leave the gimmicks, bells and whistles and public out of it. Build the route most effective.

[burt]

A meeting was held last night at the DMV to discuss the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal.

A pdf I posted two entries above showed the route connection between East Main and East Broad aligned along 14th Street. The "Related Link" pdf with today's story appears to show connection via 18th Street and/or via Main Street Station in Shockoe Bottom.

Alternative choices for the route between 12th and Broad to Willow Lawn vary from curb lanes to median lanes and from partial dedicated lanes to a fully dedicated lane system.

If a decision is made to proceed, please do it right and go with Alternative #2 and median lanes.

Under ideal circumstances, buses could be operating on the route by 2013.

A BRT system operates along Euclid Avenue in Cleveland and it has been a phenominal success according to a quote in this story.

From Peter Bacque in today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-tra-ar-573890/

Edited October 20, 2010 by burt