Virginia Beach Light Rail and Transit

[757Duke]

The discussion was pretty even with those for and against tonight. It managed to stay civil.

[BFG]

Anyone familiar with the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance? The "Bring the Tide to Virginia Beach" Facebook page linked to a post from the HRPTA, mentioning that the vote is pretty close, and currently one vote short.

 

The HRPTA group only has 200-something likes, and most of the posts there are strongly against LRT. Just wanna know if anyone else has heard this...I'm really not trying to see this fail a second time, esp. after the public already said they'd like LRT in the Beach. But again, I'm afraid the NIMBY crowd is going to bully their way to a victory and ruin it for everyone else in Hampton Roads.

[HRVT]

Anyone familiar with the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance? The "Bring the Tide to Virginia Beach" Facebook page linked to a post from the HRPTA, mentioning that the vote is pretty close, and currently one vote short.

 

The HRPTA group only has 200-something likes, and most of the posts there are strongly against LRT. Just wanna know if anyone else has heard this...I'm really not trying to see this fail a second time, esp. after the public already said they'd like LRT in the Beach. But again, I'm afraid the NIMBY crowd is going to bully their way to a victory and ruin it for everyone else in Hampton Roads.

That's very disappointing if true. Not expanding at least to TC would be a major blow to light rail. So instead of containing mass development essentially to one corridor, Virginia Beach/Chesapeake can just continue to develop suburbia further and further outwards.

 

 

And then you have the fools whose response to "When the military leaves, you'll wish we did more to diversify the economy" is "Good, less traffic.. problem solved". 

Edited April 28, 2015 by HRVT

[vdogg]

Light rail proponents outnumbered opponents 2-1 last night according to the article. This is great news! Looks like folks are getting the message and starting to take the narrative away from the naysayers.

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/04/light-rail-focus-virginia-beach-budget-hearing

[CrazyPy]

Great news!! Being a Town Center resident I look forward to the Tide, or whatever the city wants to call it, going from DT Norfolk to the Oceanfront.

[Nathan_in_DC]

So glad to see this making headway.

 

Reading the negative comments is so disheartening. It's mainly composed of people screaming about something they don't seem to understand and thus are afraid of. I understand the desire to avoid tax increases, but *something* has to be done to rein in the sprawl and traffic of the region. Unfortunately, the people against this proposal don't seem to have the desire to put forth any better ideas. You can only expand the highways so much.

[HRVT]

So glad to see this making headway.

 

Reading the negative comments is so disheartening. It's mainly composed of people screaming about something they don't seem to understand and thus are afraid of. I understand the desire to avoid tax increases, but *something* has to be done to rein in the sprawl and traffic of the region. Unfortunately, the people against this proposal don't seem to have the desire to put forth any better ideas. You can only expand the highways so much.

Those people also don't understand the concept that if nothing is done to raise revenue, that more taxes are going to be needed. And that suburbia is NOT a sustainable concept (ESPECIALLY in a suburban area with no central city).

Edited April 30, 2015 by HRVT

[skylinefan]

Gov. McAulliffe said this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and Va. Beach had better seize upon it.  The city better act fast or the money will be moved onto other projects probably in Northern Virginia.  I'm not sure if I fully understand the opposition to this project.  Seems to me the no tax money crowd is being very selfish in not investing in Tidewaters' future.  Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads need to have multiple ways to get around or face declining living standards while other metros thrive because they invested in public transit as an alternative to driving. 

[757Duke]

I'm going to the City Council meeting on Tuesday to speak if anyone else wants to go.

[vdogg]

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/05/va-beach-vote-light-rail-far-done-deal

I hate to say this guys, but I don't think this is going to happen. All that effort down the drain. I've lost complete and total faith in this council. The Beach is gonna do nothing but stagnate.

[Nathan_in_DC]

Ugh, it's attitudes like this that will make me do everything I can to avoid being stationed in VA Beach again. And, if I ever do, I'll definitely not be living in the city limits or spending my money there if it's at all avoidable.

[757Duke]

Rather than sit down and whine about it, I'd implore you to speak out at city council meetings, write your councilman, etc. By voicing your opinion, there may be more traction than simply saying it won't happen. Just my two cents.

[BFG]

Sent an email off last week. Can't persuade folks who have already made up their minds.

Edited May 4, 2015 by BFG

[757Duke]

We're doing a large rally at City Hall today starting at 5 in support of light rail. It's looking to be a good turnout for the meeting.

[vdogg]

So the budget, with full light rail funding, is back on track. I don't know what they hell happened but that was quite a turnaround in 24 hours. Makes me think it wasn't a big issue in the first place, or perhaps the pilot was embellishing a bit on how dire the situation was to get clicks. No matter, it's good to see people out there in support. 

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/05/va-beach-city-council-reaches-budget-compromise#_ga=1.150120319.830736181.1418033513

[Nathan_in_DC]

So the budget, with full light rail funding, is back on track. I don't know what they hell happened but that was quite a turnaround in 24 hours. Makes me think it wasn't a big issue in the first place, or perhaps the pilot was embellishing a bit on how dire the situation was to get clicks. No matter, it's good to see people out there in support. 

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/05/va-beach-city-council-reaches-budget-compromise#_ga=1.150120319.830736181.1418033513

 

And there's already someone complaining in the comments section. I don't get that crowd...I mean, I'm all about reigning in public spending and being good stewards of tax income, however these people just don't get it. Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads has a problem with congestion and general connectivity, light rail seems to be one potential solution, and these people just sit there and complain about money being spent on a potential solution without proposing any better solutions themselves. Guaranteed if the city wanted to spend 10 times that much money in building a new freeway or adding lanes to the existing one, they'd be all in on it. They don't get that they're *already* paying for services they may never actually use in the form of the absurdly high levels of maintenance required by the sprawling road networks that connect single family homes and poorly planned suburban developments.

[757Duke]

Based on the city council meeting, light rail is a go. We had a majority presence in favor of light rail at the meeting, and council seemed receptive to what we had to say. From the looks of it, expect to see the Tide break ground around 2017 to Town Center.

[BFG]

Good to know they managed to find an option that benefits the growth of this area, as well as a solution for teachers and police/fire/medics. I sent an email, but with that, the turnout at City Council meetings and rallies, along with other emails, it's good to see the supporters really stand up for what they feel is the future.

 

Now, as long as Council listens...

[urbanvb]

I really thought this was going to turn out very badly. I'm glad the proponents showed up.

[757Duke]

I talked with Jim Wood over the past couple of days. He said that we have good momentum, and it helped that the younger crowd came out to support the line. He did emphasize that we need to keep emailing councilmen over the next week, as well as show up next Tuesday for the vote.

[BFG]

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/05/va-beach-council-votes-support-bringing-light-rail-town-center

Va. Beach council votes to support bringing light rail to Town Center

 

Personally, I would've liked to see them expand to the Oceanfront, but this is a nice start. I'd def. ride to TC. Meanwhile, during his presentation, John Moss proposed expanding the bus system, which sounds ridiculous for an area of this size. Expanding the buses is not going to help much when you're going from Norfolk to the Beach.

[urbanvb]

I'm glad it passed and overwhelmingly so. Like BFG I would have rather it went further but this is a good start to link the two cities.

[vdogg]

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/05/va-beach-council-votes-support-bringing-light-rail-town-center

Va. Beach council votes to support bringing light rail to Town Center

 

Personally, I would've liked to see them expand to the Oceanfront, but this is a nice start. I'd def. ride to TC. Meanwhile, during his presentation, John Moss proposed expanding the bus system, which sounds ridiculous for an area of this size. Expanding the buses is not going to help much when you're going from Norfolk to the Beach.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. The bus system does need to be expanded, or rather, made more efficient. A good feeder bus system to the light rail stations will do wonders for the area. Where Moss is wrong is that this isn't an either or proposition. The bus system needs to be expanded in tandem with light rail being constructed.

[Nathan_in_DC]

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/05/va-beach-council-votes-support-bringing-light-rail-town-center

Va. Beach council votes to support bringing light rail to Town Center

 

Personally, I would've liked to see them expand to the Oceanfront, but this is a nice start. I'd def. ride to TC. Meanwhile, during his presentation, John Moss proposed expanding the bus system, which sounds ridiculous for an area of this size. Expanding the buses is not going to help much when you're going from Norfolk to the Beach.

 

The amount of butt-hurt displayed in the comments is hilarious.

 

That being said, good on you VA Beach. Not many cities are looking ahead in spite of such vitriolic opposition. I WISH Nashville had the kind of foresight required to put together some sort of light rail plan.

[Norva757]

They need to at least bring it to Rosemont Road. If vabeach had kept their heads of their butts it would be running from the oceanfront to DT Norfolk. Also, it is easy to sit here and say i want this and that like kids in a grocery store. I imagine it is very hard to keep a budget for a city and try to spend money on things that the city needs and wants