Virginia Beach Light Rail and Transit

[vdogg]

I honestly don't see a way forward from this. It appears that council has lost its nerve. I did not realize there was that much support for another referendum. Gonna start mentally preparing myself for the fact that this just might not go through.

[HRVT]

7 hours ago, vdogg said:

I honestly don't see a way forward from this. It appears that council has lost its nerve. I did not realize there was that much support for another referendum. Gonna start mentally preparing myself for the fact that this just might not go through.

The anti-progress crowd has been working hard to get signatures for quite some time and they're still 7000 signatures short. What I'm afraid of is that we might just decide to have a referendum anyways. I guess some pro-progress folks in NOVA are about to get real excited over the $155 million we're sending their way. I came to terms with the idea a while ago that this would likely never take off. A year ago, I thought light rail in VB was a near certainty. It also kills me to see all the fools who continually harp on the "deceptive language" in the referendum that past a few years ago. Yeah, it was real muddy..... ""Should the City Council adopt an ordinance approving the use of all reasonable efforts to support the financing and development of The Tide light rail into Virginia Beach?". Seriously, if you can't read what that question is asking, you probably should just grab a Dr. Seuss book and learn to read off in the corner of the room while the adults do the voting. Not to mention the fools that harp on the referendum from 12 years prior, as if NOTHING has changed in over a decade.

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2016 by HRVT

[vdogg]

Naysayers are naysayers, they'll always exist. I place the blame for this solely on city council. They had momentum after the 2012 election but instead of capitalizing on this they dragged their feet. They spent money on study after study, and then had studies on those studies. It was ridiculous.

[HRVT]

11 hours ago, vdogg said:

Naysayers are naysayers, they'll always exist. I place the blame for this solely on city council. They had momentum after the 2012 election but instead of capitalizing on this they dragged their feet. They spent money on study after study, and then had studies on those studies. It was ridiculous.

Agreed. There's always a million reasons not to do something, and when you commit to fifteen thousand studies, some of them are going to find some information that is negative. But the naysayers aren't looking for positive information. So the more negative information out there, the more they continue to beat their anti-progress drum. Eventually there comes a point where you have TOO much information to sift though, and I think we're at that point. Make a decision and let's move forward.

[BFG]

On one hand, I'd say this is definitely a time to email council and let them know they're being irresponsible. On the other hand, I really think they have their minds made up, so it won't really matter.

The arena really needs to take off big time, team or not. Just a handful of concerts will show just how badly this is needed. 

[BFG]

http://southsidedaily.com/2016/02/15/national-public-transportation-group-to-review-virginia-beach-light-rail-project-at-states-request/ 

Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne has asked the American Public Transportation Association to assess how well prepared Hampton Roads Transit and the city of Virginia Beach are to manage the Beach light rail extension project.

If they decide not to do this, you can't say the State didn't try. Hopefully, this will sway council members back in the right direction, esp. if this turns out to cost less than 300M.

[Arctic_Tern]

I'm not too worried about it. A few council members can spout tons of hot air, but I don't see a referendum happening.

[carolinaboy]

Virginia Beach decides to build an arena and not light rail.

Norfolk decides to build light rail and not an arena (there was talk of it a few years ago).

Downtown Norfolk is BOOMING.

Virginia Beach is still Virginia Beach.

I think VB is making a mistake if they do not extend LR.

Edited February 16, 2016 by carolinaboy
Edit: Don't mean to dog pile on VB. I like VB.

[BFG]

I think the recent articles from the Pilot, Southside Daily and elsewhere are helping. Mayor Sessoms also mentioned that it would be crazy to retreat since the people already voted three years ago. City council has put a lot of work into researching the potential rail line and other factors.

I'm a lot more optimistic than I was a couple days ago. It feels a lot like it did when the arena stuff was being ironed out. I'm just tired of the vocal minority speaking for everyone else with inaccurate, biased or lopsided facts.

[Helium3]

http://pilotonline.com/news/local/transportation/virginia-beach-has-until-april-to-commit-to-light-rail/article_8c3daffa-2104-5e87-aa5b-9db381e23f5b.html

Virginia Beach has until April 30 to commit to light rail if it wants $155 million, board says

Hopefully a hard date like this will force the city to commit once and for all. The state was right to give them a deadline, this back and forth has just been embarrassing to watch. 

[vdogg]

Well folks, it's go time. A referendum may be a moot issue.

[urbanvb]

I'm pretty sure Sessoms is catching flack from both sides right now but needs to stand firm in favor of light rail. If the city loses the $155m state appropriation light rail will never happen. 

[BFG]

Sessoms is doing the same exact back and forth he did with the arena. I need him (and council) to make a decision, preferably no referendum, and stop wasting everyone's time. [Move] or get off the pot already. He just said in his State of the City that he looks forward to having light rail, now he's getting cold feet. Can't become a big city by playing scared.

[vdogg]

7 hours ago, NFKjeff said:

Here is a link to the southsidedaily.com story.

http://southsidedaily.com/2016/02/17/virginia-beach-must-sign-light-rail-agreement-with-state-by-april-30-to-keep-project-alive/

I no longer know what to think of Mayor Sessoms. One day he comes out in favor of light rail, touting it as the future of VB (state of the city address,) and the next he comes out with more passive-agressive crap that is sure to further antagonize the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Sessoms said, "In theory the city could sign the memorandum of understanding to purchase the rail cars to stisfy the state and still let voters make a decision this fall at the ballot boxes."

He then said, "I'm just thinking out loud."

STOP THINKING OUT LOUD!

This is truly frustrating and infuriating  behavior on Sessom's part.

Perhaps he's saying this to give the council an out. They can vote to get the cars, but still have the option to cancel later. This might bring some of the other members along that are getting cold feet.

[Qdeathstar]

personally, I agree with the state... time for va beach to put up or shut up. They'd be stupid not to take the money because they aren't gonna maglev their way out of the citys traffic woes. 

 

 

[lil-bear]

So if the extension to TC does end up costing 300M, with the 155M the state is kicking in will leave 145M.

There isn't any monies from the feds, but who's to say fund wont become available down the road?

There have been projects taken on by the city with larger costs than 145M.

[BFG]

Did anyone make it to the Town Hall meeting last night at The Westin? I'm curious to know what the turnout and reactions were like...

[OBXastronaut]

Here's the map from VBgov.com showing the vision for future light rail extension. Interesting how they called the proposed station at Town Center "Union Station". 

[HRVT]

4 hours ago, NFKjeff said:

I like the sound of it. I guess it's tabbed that because Norfolk, VB, and Chesapeake lines would meet there if it works out as planned.

I like the plans, but I've got to imagine that these are at least 20 years out. Especially the purple line down Lynnhaven. In addition to the fact that that whole section town is pretty much suburban and will likely continue to be for decades, I don't see there being room to put a light rail line. You would either have to raise the whole line just about, or you would have acquire the necessary land (probably even more expensive, at least up front). IMO, if Chesapeake/Greenbrier is getting light rail, it's off of a spur from the Harbor Park stop, not Virginia Beach.  

The yellow line will need to happen sooner rather than later though. The red line shouldn't be far behind. The green line might not be necessary if City Hall is moved to Town Center.

 

[lil-bear]

I always thought that the Newtown station would be the most logical crossroads for light rail, but looking at this graphic, I think VBTC might be a good option!

[lil-bear]

http://pilotonline.com/news/government/local/virginia-beach-is-spending-million-from-fund-to-pursue-light/article_85d83e9a-58cd-5f73-9f67-0ad9a8d819eb.html

 

We know something Is happening!

[BFG]

Interesting, but it seems like council goes hot and cold on this.

I emailed them last week to request that they move forward, and received an email from Mayor Sessoms. It more or less says the city is being cautious in its decision-making, but has not given up. I'm sure it's a form letter, but cool to get a response.

Still don't know what to think. Like I said a few days ago, it reminds me a lot of the arena decision.

[lil-bear]

It's politicians being politicians. They are more concerned with being re-elected than making firm decisions they were elected to make.

Like it's been said before: They don't have a referendum every time a multi-million dollar project comes up for a vote. 

[Arctic_Tern]

On ‎2‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 2:47 PM, NFKjeff said:

I like the sound of it. I guess it's tabbed that because Norfolk, VB, and Chesapeake lines would meet there if it works out as planned.

There's also a proposed plan on Norfolk's end that would make Harbor Park the "Union Station", with Light Rail going to Norfolk, VB and Chesapeake, Amtrak to Richmond/DC/etc, and a trolley down to downtown Portsmouth.

I think Harbor Park is a more natural "Union Station" for Hampton Roads, but for the VB section, Town Center makes sense as their "Union Station".

[lil-bear]

Speaking of Harbor Park, I think Norfolk CC dropped the ball by not placing the HRT bus transfer station by the Amtrak and LRT station.

It was a missed opportunity to have it near a light rail station.

Edited February 25, 2016 by lil-bear