Norfolk Light Rail and Transit

[Mobius57]

Pictures pictures pictures!

[varider]

Plume Street Station/ Macarthur Center

City of Norfolk will lead

effort to develop air rights

over station

[varider]

Pictures of our LRV(Light Rail Vehicles) under construction

http://www.ridethetide.com/photo_gallery/l...l-vehicle.shtml

[varider]

Vdogg,

do you think it would be a good idea to create a new thread called (Hampton Roads Transit: Rail, Busses, Ferries, Etc.) and consolidate Norfolk Light Rail and Virginia Beach Light Rail into one thread that we can talk about our transit system?

[ronsmytheiii]

Vdogg,

do you think it would be a good idea to create a new thread called (Hampton Roads Transit: Rail, Busses, Ferries, Etc.) and consolidate Norfolk Light Rail and Virginia Beach Light Rail into one thread that we can talk about our transit system?

I would wait till we see if there will be a referendum or not. If there is we should wait until it is approved, if there inst a referendum and it gets the go ahead then the thread would be consolidated. However for right now it is only a proposed addition, so I would keep them separate.

[varider]

You really think that after spending 40M on the right of way 5M on the circuit city lot and 3M on the DEIS they wouldn't build it? They might hold a referendum, but referendums are non binding. Virginia Beach is going to build LRT.

[ronsmytheiii]

You really think that after spending 40M on the right of way 5M on the circuit city lot and 3M on the DEIS they wouldn't build it? They might hold a referendum, but referendums are non binding. Virginia Beach is going to build LRT.

I have been burned by the Virginia Beach Council and voters way too much to guarantee that LRT will happen for certain, I want it to but just cant bring myself to stamp and seal it with people like Kerry Dougherty and the VBTA around....

[carolinaboy]

I guess (from looking at those pictures) during a bad storm people literally will "Ride the Tide". Sorry....poor attempt at humor this Friday!

[johnk812]

Pictures of our LRV(Light Rail Vehicles) under construction

http://www.ridethetide.com/photo_gallery/l...l-vehicle.shtml

Love it! Thanks for the link!

[varider]

I have been burned by the Virginia Beach Council and voters way too much to guarantee that LRT will happen for certain, I want it to but just cant bring myself to stamp and seal it with people like Kerry Dougherty and the VBTA around....

Yeah, they really do the best they can to keep light rail from succeeding. But once they see how nice, new, and reliable our trains are I honestly think their opinion will change. Much of the members of the VBTA are from Virginia Beach, they don't know anything about smart growth, TOD, mass transit, or any of that. Kerry Doughtery is just trying to get people to read her columns. Good news is once it's extended to the oceanfront, the VBTA will be dead and naysayers will shutup.

[virginia pe]

You really think that after spending 40M on the right of way 5M on the circuit city lot and 3M on the DEIS they wouldn't build it? They might hold a referendum, but referendums are non binding. Virginia Beach is going to build LRT.

Yes, I do. None of these commits the city to anything.

Buying the right-of-way was necessary just to keep LRT as a viable option. If Norfolk Southern started selling off parts of the ROW piecemeal, LRT would be out of the picture entirely. VB had to buy it. If LRT does not occur, VB will have one of the nicest, longest, bicycle and walking trails in the state.

The Circuit City lot was a steal due to their bankruptcy. VB was smart to buy it. If LRT happens, it will be a great place for a park-n-ride station. If LRT doesn't happen, it will become an extension of Town Center. Buying the lot prevents a big box retailer or some other developer from building something that is not compatible with Town Center.

So the $45M spent so far would not be wasted if the city shoots down LRT. The city has other acceptable options for using that real estate.

The $3 million spent for the DEIS is just a preliminary cost to gather information on the viability of LRT. They have to have the DEIS to make any kind of an informed decision on LRT.

So yes, I think the city could easily back away from LRT and not even blink about the money they have spent so far.

[ronsmytheiii]

Kern is Gone! (can you see the picture?)

Edited August 14, 2009 by ronsmytheiii

[CaveMaN]

Yep we can all see it...and it's definitely gone!

Here's one of the flooding along the LRT path at york:

Larger: Here

I think most of that was induced by the erosion & sediment controls for the construction going on along york...since they filter water slower as it enters the stormdrain inlets, it backed up worse here then it should.

[varider]

A flooding event like that happens very rarely. Even subway systems get shut down with rain like that. I think the Virginia Beach extension is going to elevate about a third to a half of the entire segment because it will cross many major roads. I know it will be elevated throughout all of Pembroke.

Edited August 15, 2009 by varider

[varider]

Doesn't this get you excited?!

[varider]

http://www.gohrt.com/pressroom/?p=586

Hundreds of poles that will carry electricity for Norfolk

[Mobius57]

Went to downtown today and took a bunch of pics! Alot of them the LR construction.

Edited August 21, 2009 by Mobius57

[vdogg]

Vdogg,

do you think it would be a good idea to create a new thread called (Hampton Roads Transit: Rail, Busses, Ferries, Etc.) and consolidate Norfolk Light Rail and Virginia Beach Light Rail into one thread that we can talk about our transit system?

Honestly, the light rail system in Va. Beach faces entirely separate obstacles than the one in Norfolk. I think that for now both cities are served better having separate discussions. We already have a Hampton Roads transportation thread which pretty much encompasses all other transit related issues in the region.

[vdogg]

Here's a neat little video you guys should like.

[cityboi757]

Good video.

Do you all think that there is enough space for parking at the newtown road station? Charlotte's end of the line station fills up daily and it has 1200 spaces in a parking deck. If the Tide only has a parking lot, I think a parking garage must be built. Don't you think? I'm telling you 266 spaces is not going to cut it. I expect a lot of downtown employees who commute from 264 to ride the rail to avod downtown traffic and the congestion that occurs daily..

Edited August 28, 2009 by cityboi757

[vdogg]

Good video.

Do you all think that there is enough space for parking at the newtown road station? Charlotte's end of the line station fills up daily and it has 1200 spaces in a parking deck. If the Tide only has a parking lot, I think a parking garage must be built. Don't you think? I'm telling you 266 spaces is not going to cut it. I expect a lot of downtown employees who commute from 264 to ride the rail to avod downtown traffic and the congestion that occurs daily..

The FTA demanded that parking be limited along the route. This was a federal law that had to be agreed to in order to receive light rail funds. I'm sure Charlotte had to apply by the same rules when building their system.

[cityboi757]

The FTA demanded that parking be limited along the route. This was a federal law that had to be agreed to in order to receive light rail funds. I'm sure Charlotte had to apply by the same rules when building their system.

That makes no sense. I agree the majority of the line (especially downtown) should have a parking deficiency, but it seems backwards that Monticello Avenue Station and Harbor Park Station both have over 1500 parking spaces, but the end of the line station (Newtown) only has 266? Doesn't add up to me. I bet you the Newtown rd. parking lot fills up by 7:00.

[vdogg]

That makes no sense. I agree the majority of the line (especially downtown) should have a parking deficiency, but it seems backwards that Monticello Avenue Station and Harbor Park Station both have over 1500 parking spaces, but the end of the line station (Newtown) only has 266? Doesn't add up to me. I bet you the Newtown rd. parking lot fills up by 7:00.

Honestly, it's really not that big of a deal in our case though. Here's an old article that expands on this a bit.

link

And, on Tuesday, the council adopted a new parking policy that limits the number of downtown parking spaces in the core business district, using a ratio of spaces per square feet of office space. It reflects the same parking ratio that will exist once the Trader building and the proposed Hilton hotel/conference center -- and their garages -- are built. GA_googleFillSlotWithSize("ca-pub-5440138744487553", "News_Main_300x250", 300, 250); "Market forces are going to make that happen anyway," said City Councilman W. Randy Wright, who has championed light rail in Norfolk.

City leaders say they don't think the policy will discourage continued investment downtown because there's already a parking deficit.

"It makes good sense for the city as it gets more densely developed," Fraim said. "We want people to rely more on mass transit."

[cityboi757]

Yeah I know it's not a big deal, I'm just predicting that we will need more parking at the newtown rd. station to accomidate end of the line demand.

[lil-bear]

Shouldn't the Newtown Rd. Station be considered a temporary end-of-the-line?