Virginia Beach Light Rail and Transit

[vdogg]

Wow it's getting rough now. Part of me doesn't like it, because Townes seems like a nice guy, but if it means the restoration of public and political opinion for LRT in the Beach,then I'm all for it.

http://hamptonroads....4-board-members

I'd say that's fair. We need a sacrificial lamb and he's it. Light rail is way more important than one man. We need to show the public that there is accountability when people mess up that bad.

[varider]

I just want VB to get light rail. It would really help out the city and the region. I hope the city council can realize this and look past the problems Norfolk is having. They should just be thankful that they were able to learn from the mistakes. No referendum, either. Referendum's aren't good because only the more mature, civic, unapathetic citizens vote. More times than not, the group trying to stop whatever is being put on referendum turn out to the polls more than the pro group. I'm sure there are a lot of citizens who would like to ride light rail and are pro-transit, but they wouldn't go vote about it. I may write a letter to council. Maybe it could help..?

[urbanlife]

The pilot is doing every damn thing they can to derail this project. There is an obvious agenda here to stir up controversy. They just posted an article titled "Va. Beach's rail support waning" and then failed to provide any supporting evidence, such as a poll, to back up this spurious claim. Every single "citizen" they quoted was a member of the VBTA. If I wanted fair and balanced reporting like this, I'd watch...well, that's another story all together. Lets just say I'm not happy with their reporting.

its called trying to sell papers in a dying industry...which means the Pilot will only get louder about these things as things get worse for them.

[varider]

http://www.fox43tv.com/dpps/news/local/hrt-ceo-michael-townes-resigns_3185605

With Townes stepping down, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms says extending light rail to his city will be an easier sell.

"It certainly was going to be a major issue," said Sessoms. "I would have had a hard time being able to persuade people to move forward with the issues that came up under that management."

[ronsmytheiii]

Notes from last month's workshops:

http://www.hrtransit.org/vbtes/documents/2009/12/station-area-meeting-notes-12-2-09.pdf

http://www.hrtransit.org/vbtes/documents/2009/12/station-area-meeting-notes-12-9-09.pdf

[varider]

http://www.insidebiz.com/news/councilman-touts-development-light-rail-will-bring

By this time next year, the city of Virginia Beach should know whether light rail will be extended to the Oceanfront.

The city has commissioned a 12-month environmental impact study to look at four alternatives to a transit system in Virginia Beach, one of which is to do nothing.

The other alternatives include implementing a transportation management system, implementing a bus rapid transit system or extending light rail from Norfolk to Virginia Beach.

These and other issues were in City Councilman Jim Wood's presentation at a luncheon of the Hampton Roads Commercial Real Estate Women organization last Tuesday.

Wood is also chairman of the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, the governing body of Hampton Roads Transit.

Wood was asked to brief the group on light rail, including the cost overruns, which resulted in a shake-up of upper management and the retirement of Hampton Roads Transit's president and CEO, Michael Townes.

Wood said light rail has to be viewed from a regional perspective, not just from a parochial perspective.

"We have to work regionally for this to succeed," Wood said. "We have acted badly as a region."

City and regional officials envision light rail ferrying passengers to Virginia Beach and then ferrying workers from Virginia Beach to Naval Station Norfolk.

Also in the planning stages: a higher-speed rail service between Richmond and Newport News or between Richmond and Norfolk.

"If you don't have something like this, we are going to have more traffic problems," Wood said. "This is smart growth, smart thinking. We are looking forward to the day when people can ride the Tide to see the Tides."

[varider]

http://www.gohrt.com/vbtes/cac-final-responses-to-questions-1-22-10.pdf

Questions Received from CAC members at the October 28, 2009 CAC Meeting

[varider]

Could it get any worse?

The new top Hampton Roads Transit official will ask the City Council tomorrow for money to finish the ongoing light-rail feasibility study here.

Mayor Will Sessoms said finishing the study is crucial.

“There is an investment already made in the study,” he said. “It seems to me if you have to start over its going to cost the taxpayer more.”

The study’s completion, which was supposed to be late this year, has also been pushed back to mid- to late-2011.

Shucet will also likely face questions from the City Council about whether HRT can come up with the $5 million the agency pledged towards the city’s purchase of the old Norfolk Southern rail line, the likely route for a Beach light-rail project. The city has an agreement with the railroad company to buy the rail line for $40 million, which includes $10 million of city money.

Study won't be complete until late 2011? Are you kidding me? It was supposed to be done in six months. WTF, man. At this rate, VB won't have LRT for 25 years.

[ronsmytheiii]

They are being thorough, and anyhow it should get political pressure off of LRT as the study will arrive after the next election cycle. Also, the city is probably paying a penance even with this new cost.

[vaceltic]

By then they will be able to gauge ridership on the Norfolk line after it opens. Makes sense to need another year and a half.

[varider]

Actually vaceltic, the latest estimated start date for Norfolk LRT would mean that the ridership numbers probably won't be included in the VBTES.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/beach-council-split-money-lightrail-study

A sometimes angry, sometimes resigned City Council was split Tuesday on a request from new Hampton Roads Transit chief Philip Shucet for about $245,000 to finish a now-delayed light-rail feasibility study for the city.

The council previously thought HRT would pay for the study, now estimated to cost $6.6 million, without city money.

Two council members said they won't support giving HRT money, four said they reluctantly would, and four said they needed time to digest the news. HRT is asking for a decision at the Feb. 23 City Council meeting.

The city money, which Shucet called "critical," is needed to match part of a $1.2 million federal grant that would keep the study going. Without it, the study would come to a halt, possibly ending the quest for light rail in the Beach.

Some council members said that was too great a risk to take.

"I'm not at all happy with having to come up with $245,000," Councilman and HRT board member John Uhrin said, "but I still believe that the results of the study are important for the city."

Mayor Will Sessoms and Councilmen Glenn Davis and Jim Wood, chair of the HRT board, agreed.

Bob Dyer and Bill DeSteph said they won't support giving city money. Dyer called for the whole project to be delayed because of the bad economy.

Harry Diezel, Barbara Henley, Louis Jones and Rosemary Wilson said they need more time to decide.

"This is a lot of change for us to assimilate," Henley said. "We've been telling the public that the city wouldn't have to pay. All of this has now changed."

The HRT study is looking at extending the Norfolk Tide line to the Oceanfront. The city has a deal with Norfolk Southern Corp. to buy a 10.6-mile right-of-way for $40 million.

Shucet said the $4.3 million represented only the consultant's cost.

"What you apparently were not given was project management, legal services, ridership studies," and several other costs, Shucet said.

So far, about $1.5 million has been spent on the study, money that is almost gone, he said. If the City Council approves the money, HRT could access the federal grant in April.

The study is now estimated to be finished between August and December 2011. The previous finish date was late 2010.

Shucet also faced questions about how HRT will come up with the $5 million the agency pledged to help buy the railroad right of way.

"We will keep our commitment," he said. "I wish I could tell you with specificity how, but we will keep it

It's not looking good guys.

[varider]

This is going to be an excruciatingly long process.

I just watched the City Council meeting from this week and we aren't looking at a Record Of Decision (ROD) for Virginia Beach LRT until around Fall-Winter 2014.

Edited February 20, 2010 by varider

[vdogg]

This is going to be an excruciatingly long process.

I just watched the City Council meeting from this week and we aren't looking at a Record Of Decision (ROD) for Virginia Beach LRT until around Fall-Winter 2014.

Ok, so what does that mean exactly?

[varider]

Ok, so what does that mean exactly?

Uhh, It's going to be a LONG time until LRT is up and running in Virginia Beach..? At least 7-8 years?

[urbanlife]

Uhh, It's going to be a LONG time until LRT is up and running in Virginia Beach..? At least 7-8 years?

When is Norfolk's starter line suppose to be up and running? I always figured VB's extension would begin construction about two years after Norfolk's began, then take another two years in construction time...but once the VB line was under construction, there would be a second line already in the development stage waiting to start. Which would be roughly 10-15 years from now before the region has two full lines up and running.

That all could just be positive thinking that the NIMBYs of VB could easily shoot down in a heartbeat with their big SUVs.

[varider]

When is Norfolk's starter line suppose to be up and running? I always figured VB's extension would begin construction about two years after Norfolk's began, then take another two years in construction time...but once the VB line was under construction, there would be a second line already in the development stage waiting to start. Which would be roughly 10-15 years from now before the region has two full lines up and running.

That all could just be positive thinking that the NIMBYs of VB could easily shoot down in a heartbeat with their big SUVs.

Norfolk's final start-up date is May 2011

[urbanlife]

Norfolk's final start-up date is May 2011

So summer of 2014 would be a reasonable time frame for light rail to the oceanfront, then 2016-18 for second line to happen. By the end of the next decade, you guys should be well into a new alternative transportation system and talking about future expanses...plus I wouldnt be surprised to seeing HSR running into downtown Norfolk by the end of the decade as well...but I also think alot of medium size cities are in for alot of changes over the next 10-15 years.

[ronsmytheiii]

After two weeks of furious lobbying, Mayor Will Sessoms likely has the six City Council votes needed to give Hampton Roads Transit $244,800 to move the Beach's light-rail study forward. The $6.6 million study has slowed because HRT is almost out of money for it. The City Council, scheduled to vote on the funding request Tuesday, had been under the impression that HRT was paying for it until agency officials asked earlier this month for city money needed to get a nearly $1 million federal grant.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/beach-council-poised-help-pay-lightrail-study

[varider]

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/hrt-comes-money-va-beach-light-rail-study

HRT came up with the money to complete the study without the City paying a dime. Impressive.

[mlsimons]

yeah but the expected completion date of the study has been pushed back to nearly 2012... I hate America.

[jbhay]

I feel your pain, sir.

[VBIllini13]

I hate America.

I'm sorry but why? Because we don't want to further ourselves in debt and bankrupt ourselves or skyrocket taxes even more?

**NOTE FROM ADMIN**

We have a policy against flaming on this site, please refrain from doing so in the future. You may want to brush up on our rules.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Neo

[mlsimons]

I'm sorry but why? Because we don't want to further ourselves in debt and bankrupt ourselves or skyrocket taxes even more? Go live in China commie.

I was thinkin more like Europe

[VBIllini13]

I was thinkin more like Europe

G-d, I hate when people say we need to be more like Europe or Asia. Last time I checked, Asia was still developing and the US was a greater country, both with regard to the economy and the military, than all European nations combined. Yes Europe may be more walkable, but the economic development in the United States greatly exceeds that of Europe.

[urbanlife]

G-d, I hate when people say we need to be more like Europe or Asia. Last time I checked, Asia was still developing and the US was a greater country, both with regard to the economy and the military, than all European nations combined. Yes Europe may be more walkable, but the economic development in the United States greatly exceeds that of Europe.

Yeah, I think we could live without this kind of talk in the forum...it is very anti-productive when it comes to talking and debating ideas.

And there is nothing wrong with wanting a public transportation that European cities have.

Also, if you have ever gone to public schools or colleges, gone to the library, or even gone to a state park, then consider yourself a socialist commie as well because that is what you get from that kind of thinking.