Virginia Beach Light Rail and Transit

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Congratulations ! Just a little more good news to come out recently !

[HarryVB]

Virginia Beach needs to get on the Ball.. Gas Prices are getting worse and worse.. We really need this Lightrail system to run from Downtown Norfolk to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.. It needs to be done at the same time Norfolk Lighrail is finished...They need to concenrate more on this important matter.. It will help the economy boost back up for this area.. Less traffic because of gas prices. People will have a alernative source of transportation which means they can save money to get on a electric train to go to and from work.. Virginia Beach, Please approve this lighrail project.. It will be well worth it.. Help it stimulate our economy. The Federal Goverment is..

[Telmnstr]

Virginia Beach needs to get on the Ball.. Gas Prices are getting worse and worse.. We really need this Lightrail system to run from Downtown Norfolk to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.. It needs to be done at the same time Norfolk Lighrail is finished...They need to concenrate more on this important matter.. It will help the economy boost back up for this area.. Less traffic because of gas prices. People will have a alernative source of transportation which means they can save money to get on a electric train to go to and from work.. Virginia Beach, Please approve this lighrail project.. It will be well worth it.. Help it stimulate our economy. The Federal Goverment is..

What about bicycles? They are cheap, and might help some of the women get a bit more trim.

I love trains as much as anyone (actually looked to see what it takes to privately own a diesel locomotive! I found two guys that personally own one!)... but I don't see it boosting the economy much.

Maglev would be so much better. Grrr.

Edited May 20, 2008 by Telmnstr

[rusthebuss]

I would love to see the Maglev here but it is just too expensive. Look how much light rail is costing us. I think that we would have to get rid of the military town stigma before we could get something like a Maglev. We need to get alot more white collar jobs here. I really wish I had the answer to get more high paying jobs here. It bugs me so much! I think with light rail it will only help to make this region more attractive to outsiders to land the companies here and loose the other stigma that this region is brain dead!

[M.Rocks]

My wife and I were just discussing this yesterday how we hope they run the rail from the oceanfront to Norfolk's downtown. Seeing as I live at the beach and work downtown, this would be perfect. I'm tired of $15 getting me just over 3 gallons only to burn them trying to get out of downtown at 4:30 in the afternoon. I'm sure there are plenty more people such as myself who would be ecstatic to have this come to fruition.

[vdogg]

No urgency at beach for transit options

On Monday, 16 months after they heard these sound ideas, and with the price of gas rising toward $4 a gallon, council members met again to discuss transportation. Nothing in the discussion, however, suggested they had taken to heart the blueprint offered by their constituents, or were moved to action by the soaring cost of commuting.

It seemed as if they

[rusthebuss]

No urgency at beach for transit options

Come on people, get a little backbone.

People need to let them know that if they don't they will get voted out of city council. Its the only way to get people like that attention.

[Sky06]

Hey, let's let VB put all their eggs in the busses basket and see just how easily they can get bussess running at stops every 15 minutes. The problem is, the traffic lights around here won't allow busses to move that quickly. I find it funny that the largest city in the state is still the most backward. Vdogg, your comment on a backbone is spot on. VB city council is so afraid of residents criticizing them for doing the smart thing.

Edited June 3, 2008 by Sky06

[Henry_Ryto]

In this Transportation special session, Delegate Tata and Senator Wagner are patroning HB 6028, a bill that would build light rail in Virginia Beach. It would bid out a Newtown Road - Oceanfront line as a PPTA. (I tried linking the bill, but couldn't get the link to work.)

Two advantages to this plan:

1. It will probably get it done quicker.

2. As a state project, it is insulated from the VBTA, Reid, and his fellow wingnuts.

The disadvantage is that it takes bargaining power out of the City of Virginia Beach's hands.

On balance, this bill is a huge plus.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Henry_Ryto

[orulz]

I hope that whatever final LRT plan gets chosen, runs the trains to the Dome Site or Pacific, rather than stopping them at the convention center. Has that decision been made yet?

[Henry_Ryto]

I hope that whatever final LRT plan gets chosen, runs the trains to the Dome Site or Pacific, rather than stopping them at the convention center. Has that decision been made yet?

Under the pending Resort Area Strategic Action Plan, LRT would go to the Dome site.

[Sky06]

Under the pending Resort Area Strategic Action Plan, LRT would go to the Dome site.

For those needing reminding of where the dome site is:

Scroll down for Dome site

Jimi

Who

[metalman]

News about LTR in Norfolk and Virginia Beach on the same day. Wow. Exciting.

[vdogg]

In this Transportation special session, Delegate Tata and Senator Wagner are patroning HB 6028, a bill that would build light rail in Virginia Beach. It would bid out a Newtown Road - Oceanfront line as a PPTA. (I tried linking the bill, but couldn't get the link to work.)

Two advantages to this plan:

1. It will probably get it done quicker.

2. As a state project, it is insulated from the VBTA, Reid, and his fellow wingnuts.

The disadvantage is that it takes bargaining power out of the City of Virginia Beach's hands.

On balance, this bill is a huge plus.

This really concerns me. We just got funding cut from 503 projects. We can't get the GA to do anything, and yet we're ceding power and control over to them? I can't possibly see how this is a good idea. As a state project, wouldn't it go to the back of the line behind all the other state projects that we haven't funded in 20 years? We may do better and get this done quicker fending for ourselves. Maybe i'm looking at this wrong, so please help me clear up any misconceptions. As it stands now, i feel like I just watched the possiblility of LR at the beach in my lifetime fly out the window.

[Henry_Ryto]

No, the bill requires DRPT to bid it out as a PPTA within 90 Days of it becoming law. Since a PPTA would turn on private funds, I don't think it's more than a speed bump.

[metalman]

Legislation would extend light rail to Va Beach.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/legislatio...-virginia-beach

Wow! 4 post on the pilot and their ALL positive! Unbelievable!

But, they did mention LTR to the Convention Center, not the Dome site.

[vdogg]

Legislation would extend light rail to Va Beach.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/legislatio...-virginia-beach

Wow! 4 post on the pilot and their ALL positive! Unbelievable!

But, they did mention LTR to the Convention Center, not the Dome site.

Their heart is definitely in the right place, but if this is seen as forcing the cities hand this could backfire. They should have had some consultation with local city leaders before presenting this bill. That said, i'm all for it and I hope it passes.

[scottc80]

I was amazed at the positive responses as well. I think there were 8 positive posts about the LR before there was a negative comment. It seems it is always the same few people who complain about everything on the Pilot. I don't understand why they don't move to one of the far-out suburbs instead of complaining about everything.

So, I wonder if this was what may have been eluded to by Henry, or if there might be something else tomorrow (considering that nothing has been said about a "North" line yet)?? I am so ready for some transit. If this doesn't expand in our area, I will probably move to a place with transit. I am sick of paying for gas!

If the LR went to the Convention center, I would hope that there would at least be a trolley or something to transport to the beach, although I would love it if the LR went all the way to the dome site. I love going to the Oceanfront, but I won't drive all the way down there with gas prices.

Gosh, I wish I could make it to the meeting tomorrow. Henry, will you be able to update us after the meeting, or will someone else be going to the meeting?

[Henry_Ryto]

I'll post on the meeting ASAP. Since I'll then be heading for Hampton and the TDCHR meeting, it might not be until late afternoon that I can post.

[RJWGMU]

This is exciting! My concern of it goign to the Dome (though needed) is how will the track end? I don't know what other places do, but I know here in DC the end of the Vienna line goes beyond the station, so where would it go if the last station was at the old Dome? I am sure it could be figured out...

I moved to an apartment RIGHT next to the Vienna Metro up here in Fairfax and I take the train to work... I LOVE it! I would have been break even at around $3.50 per gallon between driving or metroing, but now that gas is $4.10-$4.15 up here, I am DEFINITLEY saving money on the metro at around $6.00 a day! And even if I weren't, I would take it anyway... Driving vs train would be roughly the same amount of time, but ANY traffic and driving is disasterous!

YAY LIGHT RAIL!

[Sky06]

Their heart is definitely in the right place, but if this is seen as forcing the cities hand this could backfire. They should have had some consultation with local city leaders before presenting this bill. That said, i'm all for it and I hope it passes.

VB doesn't need to be discussing this over and over and forever. They'll never make a decision. They (and the state) need to act now. Still, I'd like to see some large firms along the route help finance if possible. This makes sense for everyone.

[RJWGMU]

VB doesn't need to be discussing this over and over and forever. They'll never make a decision. They (and the state) need to act now. Still, I'd like to see some large firms along the route help finance if possible. This makes sense for everyone.

They should ask the Navy for money... I mean, that Admiral from Norfolk did speak out on transportation issues... Who knows, maybe that comment is what sparked them to try and pass a bill instead of do it all locally...

[geszes]

I'm a new poster (but old lurker) here, but this is an excellent place for discussion (the PilotOnline posts don't cut it).

Let me quote my post there:

Glad to hear this, but unfortunately, building the light rail to the Oceanfront won't bring too many changes. Settlement patterns will require changes. Look at Ingleside, for example. The forecast of a meager 210 riders a day using that station is dismal. However, if the area of Ingleside that is south of the light rail were re-developed with mixed-income, predominantly residential multi-story housing, along with some commercial, the projected ridership would greatly increase. The bus system would also need to be modified more extensively than previously proposed to "extend" the reach of the light rail. HRT: "each city determines how much service is to be provided in their area." The cities have to move as well.

Don't get me wrong; I love right rail. I'm from Hungary, where I commuted to school by light rail and subway for a good while. It's just that Hampton Roads is notoriously suburban in its settlement patterns, and neither the current nor the future plans for the Tide account for this.

Nonetheless, while the former NS right-of-way in Norfolk is an awkward placement, it's not nearly as bad in Va Beach: it comes a lot closer to Virginia Beach Boulevard than ever in Norfolk and is fortunately very close to the Town Center at Pembroke. Yet the HRT bus system would have to be organized to tie in with the Light Rail. The station at Witchduck isn't much use just by itself, only with additional transportation from the neighborhoods north and south of it. Similar to the station at Lynnhaven: excellent for getting to a handful of car dealerships, but too far to walk to Lynnhaven Mall.

I think while I'd be certainly nice for the Tide to extend to the Oceanfront, all stations between Downtown Norfolk and the Beach should not be ignored. Without the buses transporting riders from adjacent neighborhoods to the stations, the system won't see much usage. In addition, the city should consider rezoning areas immediately adjacent to the stations to make the area walkable in the future: each station's vicinity, in an ideal world, would be a small community of mixed-use, mixed-income urban-style development with the station at its heart, allowing quick access to businesses (and jobs) along the light rail line.

[vdogg]

House committee passes LRT extension plan by unanimous vote

The measure now goes before the full house. Seeing as the bill was authored by 2 Republicans, seems like it actually has a decent chance of passing. I'm about as shocked as anyone about this one. Hell hath obviously frozen over.

[vdogg]

I think aalto's head is about to explode

Submitted by aalto on Wed, 06/25/2008 at 7:28 am.

So tata says it will happen if we want it or not. So this bozo could care less what the local elected officials say, let alone what the voters voice has said. VB voted no to light rail. I guess in his high and mighty blow-hard position, he does not need to or care to listen. Taxpayers have blown $230 million already on a choo-choo that has no proven record.

Additionally HRT has spent hunderds of thousands of dollars on the new MAX service. An express from the oceanfront to norfolk. In his democrat spend-spend world, he could care less to check the numbers and see how well that express shuttle is working. No, he wants to throw his arrogant weight around and dictate to the public what he wants. Maybe he needs an updated copy of the Constitution before he runs off at the mouth.

Anybody notice this guy makes the exact same "choo-choo" comment everytime there is an article about rail?