Hampton Roads Transportation

[urbanvb]

Groundbreaking for the new I64 twin bridge-tunnel was held today. Don’t expect to use it for 5 years.

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/transportation/vp-nw-hrbt-expansion-project-20201029-4zuckuw4anffppcynm3u4nj67e-photogallery.html

[Virginia City]

On 10/30/2020 at 10:31 AM, urbanvb said:

Groundbreaking for the new I64 twin bridge-tunnel was held today. Don’t expect to use it for 5 years.

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/transportation/vp-nw-hrbt-expansion-project-20201029-4zuckuw4anffppcynm3u4nj67e-photogallery.html

5? If you actually think that MFer is going to be done in 5 years I got some oceanfront property in Arizona I'd like to sell ya.

[urbanvb]

Here’s a rendering from the Pilot.

 

[Mountain_Junior]

Looking for some help confirming the truth or falsehood of a rumor I heard the other day at church. This guy said he was under the impression that Pharrell was requiring/requesting that VB hold another vote on light rail as part of the overall agreement to continue hosting the Something in the Water festival in VB. I did some searching and can find nothing supporting or denying it. It sounds like a “wouldn’t it be nice if...” that maybe got repeated enough times, but I don’t know for sure.


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[Arctic_Tern]

I mean, they could. But they'd be missing the $170M grant that the state and federal government was putting up to fund the project. They could try and get that money again but I think the VDOT got pretty burned last time and might not want to look VBs direction for light rail soon.

[Qdeathstar]

I don’t think pharrell, as popular as he is, is king enough to make that demand...

[vdogg]

Had a chance to travel through the High Rise Bridge/I-64 widening project for the first time in a year and man, that is one massive bit of construction. Between the CBBT, HRBT, High Rise, and I-264 projects, there are 10s of billions of dollars worth of freeway construction underway simultaneously in this area. This is a testament to how much of a game changer the formation of the HRTPO, our first true regional authority with the power to actually do something, has been for this area. One thing that has always bothered me however, is that due to the political machinations of some of those in power at the time, this organization is forbidden from using any of the funds it's collected for development of Transit alternatives. Imagine what we could do if even a fraction of the money that has been geared towards roadway construction in this area was instead funneled towards building rail between say the Peninsula and Southside, or Chesapeake into Norfolk or Virginia Beach. I really wish that someone would gather the political will to revisit that stipulation sometime soon. We're really missing an opportunity by not doing so.

[vdogg]

https://www.acppubs.com/articles/virginia-dot-undertakes-largest-highway-construction-project-in-its-history-with-3-3b-hampton-roads-bridge-tunnel-expansion

"To ease a daily commuter backup averaging six miles – and even greater congestion during the peak summer season – the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) undertook the largest highway construction project in the history of the Commonwealth. The $3.3 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion project between Norfolk and Hampton, Virginia, will increase capacity on Interstate 64 and add two roadway tunnels 150 feet under the Hampton Roads Harbor.

Only the fourth bored roadway tunnel project in the U.S., the HRBT Expansion will use a 4,000-ton, 46-feet-high Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), as well as hundreds of workers. In spring 2021, over 450 personnel were already working on the project. During the peak of construction – expected to start in 2022 and last up to two years – as many as 1,200 trade personnel will work simultaneously..."

[Lluck002]

Hey everyone, just wanted to provide a reminder to look out for public opinion polls being conducted by the Virginia Beach Department of Planning & Community Development’s Comprehensive Planning Division that will be going out sometime soon!

There will be sections on it related to transit, including Light Rail. I’ve been trying to push to keep Light Rail in the Comprehensive Plan as part of our Vision 2040 update, but senior Staff have seemed wary to keep it after the 2016 referendum debacle. Keep in mind that the vote only forbade the City from using City Tax Funds for the project; it did not ban the construction of it outright. If the Federal and State Governments decided to fund it, we would build it. 

If you’re a Virginia Beach resident, please participate and voice your support for Light Rail Transit AND Bus Rapid Transit! I will continue to update everyone on when to expect these various opportunities to participate. Also, please write to our Department voicing your support for Light Rail and why it should stay part of the Plan!

Information for Comprehensive Planning can be found at https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/planning/2016ComprehensivePlan/Pages/Comprehensive Planning.aspx

Feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns! If you want to send your letter of support directly to me, I will be happy to forward it to the proper people!

Levi Anthony Luckenbach

City of Virginia Beach

Department of Planning & Community Development

[email protected]

[baobabs727]

https://rva757connects.com/blogs/i-64-gap-project

The great rva757connects organization and their push to "close the gap" on the remaining 29 miles of 2 lane I-64 between New Kent Co and Williamsburg and widen it to match the recent Hampton to Williamsburg project.  Email campaign is underway to get this fully funded while constructions costs are still somewhat manageable.

Delegate Barry Knight: [email protected] 
Senator Janet Howell: [email protected] 

Contact the budget committee members (with their emails): 

Delegate Terry Austin: [email protected] 
Delegate Robert Bloxom: [email protected] 
Delegate Emily Brewer: [email protected] 
Delegate Mark Sickles: [email protected] 
Delegate Luke Torian: [email protected] 
Senator George Barker: [email protected] 
Senator Emmett Hanger: [email protected] 
Senator Mamie Locke: [email protected] 
Senator Louise Lucas: [email protected] 
Senator Steve Newman: [email protected] 
Senator Tommy Norment: [email protected] 
Senator Dick Saslaw: [email protected] 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by baobabs727

[baobabs727]

FREE  HR public transit in a post Covid world?

https://newsadvance.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-spotlight-on-mass-transit/article_433c17c9-55d0-5990-86e4-a4649bfc49ea.html

 

 

 

Edited May 4, 2022 by baobabs727

[Urbanlooker]

There's a proposal being made to triple the number of trains on Amtrak between NN and Richmind. This would make the service more similar to a shuttle service instead of a commuter service.

https://www.wavy.com/green-living/transportation/would-you-take-amtrak-more-if-there-were-additional-trains-leaving-hampton-roads/

[Urbanlooker]

Amtrak has posted their FY23 passenger numbers. Overall Amtrak has seen an impressive 25% increase across their network vs. FY 22, which is a definitely a help towards meeting their goal of doubling ridership by 2040. 

The Washington-NN route saw a 43% increase resulting in 356k passengers vs. 249k in FY 22.

The Washington-Norfolk rout saw an amazing 54.2% increase resulting in 480k passengers vs. 311k in FY22.

 

Amtrak-Fiscal-Year-2023-Ridership (1).pdf

[Urbanlooker]

7 hours ago, Urbanlooker said:

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Urbanlooker
Glitched out 🤷

[HRVA]

Milestone for the HRBT expansion today. Mary the TBM punched through the North Island. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Wr2VvJwQB4zSedBX/?mibextid=w8EBqM&startTimeMs=1000