Norfolk Light Rail and Transit

[Kevin Cheph Randall]

I worked at ODU for a couple years Hampton Blvd doesn't flood, maybe the under path in Ghent but that's about it. Norfolk will also be heavily funded to mitigate flooding issues. I also can't believe that's a huge issue for HRT, Norfolk still has a enormous rail yard that operates directly beside the river. HRT is doing its best to force a square peg into a round hole. Fort Norfolk also sit directly beside the river and has been expanding fast, even more reason to believe HRT is using lip service if they say anything about flooding.

 

 

[mintscraft56]

3 hours ago, Kevin Cheph Randall said:

This part!! The fact that HRT may have light rail to Greenbrier is smfh level failure. Greenbrier is not walkable, the streets are crazy big and fast, and there's nothing that would lend people to explore the area. The light rail being completely in Norfolk is even more head straching. Light rail to South Norfolk then across the Elizabeth to Portsmouth would immediately pay dividends. It would also put multiple large employers on the light rail line Norfolk shipyard in Portsmouth is right across from South Norfolk and employees thousands of people. The shipyards on Norfolk side like BAE would be on the same line, that another massive employer. Effingham in Portsmouth runs from the shipyard directly to the Naval hospital another large employer. HRT is squandering time and money trying to convince people who live suburban lifestyles to choose mass transit it's ass backwards. 

Build the rail from Navel Station Norfolk down Hampton Blvd to ODU, start the new line from Norfolk State across to Berkeley to South Norfolk to Portsmouth. That would put light rail into the biggest universities and employers in South Hampton Roads also a population demographics that uses mass transit. Downtown Norfolk would sit in the center of it all and I'm sure it would have been a large boom for Downtown Norfolk too with so many people traversing the rail lines. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds fun to think about and definitely possible. But talking about this we need to think like the HRT planners. Their apparent thought process consist of 5 main things. Cost, Quality, Safety, How to disappoint more people, expand the bus routes. 

All joks aside the chances of it happening are almost slim to none. Norfolk however should work on creating multiple lines within the city to at the very least connect areas like Downtown to Ocean View or Berkley to ODU.
If they cant decide to take the project out of city limits then they might as well build it better than just a single line. At least connect Norfolk if they cant decide to connect the area.

[Lluck002]

Hey everyone, just wanted to provide a reminder to look out for public opinion polls being conducted by the Virginia Beach Department of Planning & Community Development’s Comprehensive Planning Division that will be going out sometime soon!

There will be sections on it related to transit, including Light Rail. I’ve been trying to push to keep Light Rail in the Comprehensive Plan as part of our Vision 2040 update, but senior Staff have seemed wary to keep it after the 2016 referendum debacle. Keep in mind that the vote only forbade the City from using City Tax Funds for the project; it did not ban the construction of it outright. If the Federal and State Governments decided to fund it, we would build it. 

If you’re a Virginia Beach resident, please participate and voice your support for Light Rail Transit AND Bus Rapid Transit! I will continue to update everyone on when to expect these various opportunities to participate. Also, please write to our Department voicing your support for Light Rail and why it should stay part of the Plan!

Information for Comprehensive Planning can be found at https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/planning/2016ComprehensivePlan/Pages/Comprehensive Planning.aspx

Feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns! If you want to send your letter of support directly to me, I will be happy to forward it to the proper people!

Levi Anthony Luckenbach

City of Virginia Beach

Department of Planning & Community Development

[email protected]

[varider]

 

LRT ain’t dead yet..

[EJ_LEWIS]

Amtrak to add a third departure from Norfolk Amtrak Station at Harbor Park.  

https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/amtrak-to-boost-service-in-norfolk-roanoke-newport-news/

[BFG]

City council unanimously voted to seek funds for the light rail extension, among other bike and pedestrian accommodations. Could this speed up light rail construction?

https://www.pilotonline.com/government/local/vp-nw-light-rail-transportion-plan-20220629-bkwxtrwi7beazaqvk7gg4fbbqy-story.html

[vdogg]

22 hours ago, BFG said:

City council unanimously voted to seek funds for the light rail extension, among other bike and pedestrian accommodations. Could this speed up light rail construction?

https://www.pilotonline.com/government/local/vp-nw-light-rail-transportion-plan-20220629-bkwxtrwi7beazaqvk7gg4fbbqy-story.html

And to think that Virginia Beach left  $155 million of no strings attached money on the table when they could have extended their light rail. Oh how I wish that money could have been redirected to Norfolk. Infuriates me every time I think about it...

[zeppelin14]

All because of racists NIMBY's.

[BFG]

1 hour ago, vdogg said:

And to think that Virginia Beach left  $155 million of no strings attached money on the table when they could have extended their light rail. Oh how I wish that money could have been redirected to Norfolk. Infuriates me every time I think about it...

That was what hurt me the most. Because it was the same region, Norfolk wasn't eligible for the money so off it went to NOVA.

[urbanlife]

12 hours ago, vdogg said:

And to think that Virginia Beach left  $155 million of no strings attached money on the table when they could have extended their light rail. Oh how I wish that money could have been redirected to Norfolk. Infuriates me every time I think about it...

It really should have shifted to Norfolk and let them be able to do a Plan B without Virginia Beach.

[Qdeathstar]

On 6/30/2022 at 3:31 PM, zeppelin14 said:

All because of racists NIMBY's.

I work in peoples houses and had a personal strait up tell me that they didn’t want light rail because it would bring in a bunch of black people from Norfolk.  While my helper who was black was standing beside me. WTF.

 It was very cringe. 

[Norf Native]

This is an interesting (and surprising) article:

www.wfae.org/charlotte-area/2022-07-18/getting-off-the-bus-how-charlotte-lost-75-of-its-passengers-in-less-than-a-decade

 

[varider]

https://gohrt.com/2023/03/norfolk-light-rail-extension/
 

4 upcoming public meetings for LRT expansion 

[Urbanlooker]

Saw this in the Richmond forum 

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/henrico-county/virginia-sees-record-train-ridership-as-passenger-rail-expands/amp/

Ridership on Amtrak across the state is way up compared to 2022(of course). More importantly though it's up over 27% versus JAN 2020, pre pandemic. Norfolk's ridership is up 160% from 2022 and over 67% from JAN 2020. Norfolk has had the largest percentage increase of rail passengers in the state from 2020 to now. 

[BFG]

I think the additional DC routes helped. For me, that’s the only way I wanna go to Washington. 

[Urbanlooker]

I whole heartedly agree. I took amtrak from Norfolk up to DC a few years ago and it was great. I think with some slight improvements to reduce delays and added connections, especially to the south and west, Norfolk could have great train connections to the Mid-Atlantic. 

[BeagleAccountant]

Hampton Roads Transit recently released updated maps and details of the Military Highway Light Rail Extension. They are calling this phase 1. Phase 2 will look at creating a Bus Rapid Transit line to Norfolk Naval Station. There is a comment option for residents to leave feedback.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f86e2380a7c04797b9f61937ab9c5010?fbclid=IwAR2WYI62xpqMXrGmlVagvPHvISchL4cVVajDKHcXdYl4Mou-2kMPGvO9tpU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Edited April 25, 2023 by BeagleAccountant
Correction

[vdogg]

Denver has a great rail system. Walked from the hotel to the station (about a mile away, but a 30 min walk never hurt anyone) and was downtown in minutes. Runs all night too. Oh what could have been. The fact that we’re still stuck on our starter line is dumbfounding to me.  If only VB had extended it to the oceanfront…

[baobabs727]

On 7/8/2023 at 8:29 PM, vdogg said:

Denver has a great rail system. Walked from the hotel to the station (about a mile away, but a 30 min walk never hurt anyone) and was downtown in minutes. Runs all night too. Oh what could have been. The fact that we’re still stuck on our starter line is dumbfounding to me.  If only VB had extended it to the oceanfront…

The WILL of Council and the public on the subject may very well bend our way over the coming years, but the COST will not bend favorably to LRT.   Accordingly, our carpe diem opportunity moment/opportunity window may very well have passed. SAD.

[BFG]

Imagine if Norfolk had built an arena and the starter line in the late-90s/early-2000s. You’re looking at two projects that would’ve cost no more than about $400-500M. Now both will likely cost $400M a piece. Better late than never but this should’ve been in place 20 years ago.

[baobabs727]

Good reads. 

https://www.vox.com/22534714/rail-roads-infrastructure-costs-america

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/04/05/light-rail-vs-buses-debated-nashville-transit-referendum-fight/483922002/

https://www.wfae.org/politics/2023-06-29/consultants-fees-add-to-light-rail-costs-for-the-silver-line-in-charlotte

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/01/11/will-the-triangle-ever-get-commuter-rail--5-things-to-know-about-the-decades-long-effort

https://www.kxan.com/investigations/2-years-into-austins-project-connect-is-the-light-rail-still-on-track/

 

[metalman]

I just took Amtrak for the first time.  Left for NYC on Thursday at 6am and got back on Sunday at 9pm.  About 8 1/2hrs each way.  We are a family of 4.  Loved it!  Pretty relaxing, no stress compared to drive esp. on the Jersey Tnpk, and in the city.  No wear and tear on the car, exorbitant parking fees, etc.  It probably took another 2hrs compared to driving, maybe 1 when you factor in food, bathroom, and gas stops.  The food car wasn’t terrible either.  
    Being an end-of-the-line stop,  I was impress with the amount of people using it.  I’d guesstimate about 60 people got on Thursday morning at 6am, and 80-100 people got off Sunday evening at 9pm.

    We’re gonna use it again.

I hope they make a Norfolk to Roanoke route.  I’d like that.

[Urbanlooker]

I'm hoping we can get a route route to the West and South from Norfolk in the next decade at least. With passengerrail traffic increasing the way that is has over the last year I don't see why it wouldn't be possible.

[baobabs727]

18 hours ago, metalman said:

I just took Amtrak for the first time.  Left for NYC on Thursday at 6am and got back on Sunday at 9pm.  About 8 1/2hrs each way.  We are a family of 4.  Loved it!  Pretty relaxing, no stress compared to drive esp. on the Jersey Tnpk, and in the city.  No wear and tear on the car, exorbitant parking fees, etc.  It probably took another 2hrs compared to driving, maybe 1 when you factor in food, bathroom, and gas stops.  The food car wasn’t terrible either.  
    Being an end-of-the-line stop,  I was impress with the amount of people using it.  I’d guesstimate about 60 people got on Thursday morning at 6am, and 80-100 people got off Sunday evening at 9pm.

    We’re gonna use it again.

I hope they make a Norfolk to Roanoke route.  I’d like that.

I love it. I use it all the time to go to DC.  I'm impressed  with the recently expanded service, as well.  

Newsflash:   Amtrak train outbound from Norfolk has derailed at Union Station, DC.

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/amtrak-train-originating-from-norfolk-derails-at-union-station/

 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by baobabs727

[metalman]

Oh no!  There was a delay in Pennsylvania while we were still in VA when we left.  Thankfully it was fixed along the way and we weren’t delayed by it.  Something about an incident with the overhead lines in Philly.