Hampton Roads Transportation

[varider]

From avenging archangel:

For last, maybe the best news of all: HRT ridership in August, 2009 was up 8.02% over August, 2008. That's despite no appreciable new service, but rather additional passengers on existing service. So much for those "empty buses" Flat Earthers love to whine about....

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Looks like people might be getting used to the idea of mass transit in HR. 8% is a significant jump. Gas was $4 last summer too.

[varider]

Well the EIS for the HSR from Richmond that was supposed to be completed by the end of the summer now won't be released until the new year.

[Norfolk4Life]

We should get the DOD to chip in for our transportation here in HR. Not because their personnel make up such a large percentage of commuters but because it would enhance their security. They want to spend at least $600 million to move a single aircraft carrier from Norfolk to Mayport citing security concerns that they might be vulnerable in case of a terrorist attack or a hurricane. They could spend $600 billion on Mayport but if something were to happen here in HR to on of our roads (especially the HRBT, I-564, or Hampton Blvd), the personnel could not get to the base to move the ships out of harm's way. With the assets the Navy has in our area we should have a 4-lane each way beltway (including 4 lanes crossing the HRBT site, the High-Rise bridge, the Downtown Tunnel site and the MMBT site) as well as an expanded entrance to the base (I-564). I-564 should also not be a dead-end, meaning that the so-called third crossing should be constructed. All of these projects are not merely important to keep our beloved HR from strangling itself, but they are even more important to our National Security.

[Norfolk4Life]

with all of the talk in the other boards about LRT and other transportation issues, how can this be a dead board?

[jeffconn]

Chesapeake considers light rail study

Should light rail come to Chesapeake? At Tuesday night's council meeting, members will consider a resolution asking HRT to study whether it's feasible. If passed, it would allow HRT to pursue funding for the study.

Note that there is already a "get your priorities straight, city council" response to this article.

[jbhay]

Oh man that is exciting news on the 2000 referendum! I've lived in Greenbrier for 22 years and it has seen rapid development since I was a kid. I remember when Kempsville Road between Greenbrier Parkway and Volvo Parkway (and further most likely), was just a narrow, two-lane highway! And when GB Middle School was a forest and the forests where the Harris Teeter parking lot now is, where I worked before college and on holiday breaks.

This is funny that this was mentioned last night, because as I was driving home from the Base today, as I got further down Greenbrier Parkway, I daydreamed about light rail running down the middle of the lanes one day in my future, or at the least, running on the ROW that goes through Chesapeake City Park (not sure whose line that is). I've always imagined a small Park & Ride garage on the park's property, so that people could catch it there to work in Norfolk / VBch.

With that new development going up between the railroad tracks and Green Tree Road (on Kempsville), I had always hoped it would be some really high density place and now come to think of it, Chesapeake could buy up a lot of that land there (it's only a Basnight Lawn place and a large field) and build a small little downtown of some sorts, with light rail coming through.

Geez, I get excited about transportation planning. I was also daydreaming at work today about how cool it would be to work for Dulles Transit or VA Dept. of Railways and be working on the planning and design of the Dulles Metrorail Extension project!

[varider]

This is exciting.

Greenbrier has seen exponential growth and I have noticed higher density developments being constructed. They even have their own "Belmont" @ Greenbrier.

Dang, I can't believe Chesapeake may conduct a light rail study.

LR is the future of transportation in HR.

[varider]

You know the best line IMO would be from Military Hwy Station [Norfolk LRT] south on Military to Greenbrier and Battlefield.

[jbhay]

You know the best line IMO would be from Military Hwy Station [Norfolk LRT] south on Military to Greenbrier and Battlefield.

Damn, you ain't kiddin'. That'd be so perfect man! Oh, and I agree about LR being the future of HR. As long as it doesn't take another decade to get this thing up and going.

VA Beach, then Naval Base.

Mass transit is so overdue and so necessary for the future of transportation capacity in this region.

To be fair, living in this area could be great, if our leaders and the military had been smarter about trans. planning in the past.

[urbanvb]

"To be fair, living in this area could be great, if our leaders and the military had been smarter about trans. planning in the past."

Absolutely! Can I rant a minute having to drive home from work in Chesapeake to VB? Who would ever design an interstate with one ramp dumping tons of traffic from 64 onto 264? Unfortunately, the project to add another lane (I suppose) which is estimated to cost $52m has been put on the back burner as only $10m is available.

Edited November 25, 2009 by urbanvb

[varider]

QOL would be much better with a regional rail transit system. For everybody. Those who still want to drive will enjoy much less traffic on the roads. Those who want to take rail will enjoy the lifestyle of not having to pay gas $$, accidents, traffic jams/closed roads, etc.

This Chesapeake line I described would be great. Hampton Roads is actually geographically in a good position for LR. Connect the Naval Installations, Tourist Areas, Urban Centers, and Suburbs/Park and Rides and everything would be straight.

[jbhay]

This Chesapeake line I described would be great. Hampton Roads is actually geographically in a good position for LR. Connect the Naval Installations, Tourist Areas, Urban Centers, and Suburbs/Park and Rides and everything would be straight.

More truth. There are rail lines everywhere that aren't being utilized to their full potential. Makes me kind of glad that road funding is all dried up for the state, so that maybe more will go towards mass transit funding, since that's Obama's big push anyways. HSR, LRT, BRT. Let's get this region rollin' on rails!

VaRider, how would you run LRT down South Military Hwy? In the middle sounds like it would cause ridiculous traffic congestion during construction on a heavily used road. Then all you have left is running it down the sides somehow, where eminent domain costs would be ridiculous. I'm not putting down your opinion, just wanted to know how you would do it.

I'm not exactly sure who uses the lines running parallel to 168 right now, but the Ford Plant parking lots where they used to store the trucks are MAJOR locations for stations or something related. I say utilize the lines already in place, if possible. Therefore near the starter line station @ Ballentine moving east:

-South through the closed Ford Plant, station at Indian River Road

-Station at Campostella Road, near the massive vacant F-150 parking lot

-Providence Road station in the forested area could be a Park&Ride

-Military Hwy station: Demolish that retail center (Chesapeake Xing) that has continually failed time after time since I was a kid, use the existing parking lot.

-A station behind the Wal-Mart shopping center would be nice, even though I'm staunchly against Wal-Mart.

-Volvo Parkway station, parking lot in the wooded area in front of Mitsubishi Chemical (damn sprawl creating all these p-lots!!!)

-Chesapeake City Park station

-Clearfield Ave. station (that area looks different than the Google Maps version now, I'm pretty sure.)

-Etheridge Manor/Centerville Station using the fields not being used there for all those neighborhoods.

-And so on towards NC???

wow. I really got into that, haha. and thats just for part of chesapeake. my only thing and if someone can help me with this, i am aware trains still use those lines every now and then because years ago I remember them coming through the park when I would go the skate park over there, BUT if not could additional lines be built to the side, or is my theory of stations just not going to work at all, and its all just some utopian dream?

Also, hello TONS of land by the new Battlefield/64 interchange, also where new medium density apartments are across the street. Some more TOD action could happen there.

woo, someone stop me. i think i think about this too much

OH and urbanvb: i know what you mean man, that 264/64 interchange is so terrible its funny. if we get any money for roads that should be top priority, it makes no sense how that thing was designed. i was just talking the other day with my friend about how we spent tons of money on that stupid battlefield interchange, and nothing was wrong with it at all in the first place, in fact, now its more complicated almost, with all the elevated swoops and go over here if you wanna go here, its ridiculous. VDOT, wow.

Edited November 25, 2009 by jbhay

[varider]

You know, I havn't thought about how it would be possible yet. [i think their could be enough room on the side of Military Hwy if you cut down some trees and reconfigured some sidewalks.]

Ha but you can't use existing freight track for light rail transit (I don't know if you were saying use them or not..)

I don't know.. It's so many different possibilities for Chesapeake.

It's interesting nonetheless.

And I-64 @ Greenbrier was probably a waste compared to the other projects that need to be done in the region, but it looks cool. You can even see the Westin from the top of one of the flyovers.

And could I ask yu guys something?

Whenever I travel to other large cities, I almost NEVER see these huge cloverleaf, figure eight looking interchanges and exit ramps. It's usually a quick slight veer off to the right and then your on the city streets. How come here we have to do the loopdy loop?!

Edited November 25, 2009 by varider

[jbhay]

"Ha but you can't use existing freight track for light rail transit"

That's what I was looking for. Darn my plan. Screw it, make more lines next to these!

I hate all the loopdy loops. They take up so much land!

[jeffconn]

Chesapeake seeks to study joining light-rail line

The City Council is curious about light rail and whether it could connect to Chesapeake.

So on Tuesday, the council voted 8-0 to pursue a federally funded study on the possibility of extending light-rail service to the city.

The article has plenty of comments by "the usual suspects".

[varider]

If any of you guys are looking for our transportation funding.... go to NoVA! Riding up I-95, I've never seen more road/rail construction in one region. Seemingly every mile there was a new project being constructed. Massive flyovers, elevated metroRail, tunnels, etc.

And I am working on an idea for commuter/light rail in HR after witnessing firsthand the benefits of rail transit up in Phila.

[MissySchmidt]

If any of you guys are looking for our transportation funding.... go to NoVA! Riding up I-95, I've never seen more road/rail construction in one region. Seemingly every mile there was a new project being constructed. Massive flyovers, elevated metroRail, tunnels, etc.

And I am working on an idea for commuter/light rail in HR after witnessing firsthand the benefits of rail transit up in Phila.

so true, and check out this editorial about High Speed Rail.

Edited November 29, 2009 by MissySchmidt

[Achilles]

If any of you guys are looking for our transportation funding.... go to NoVA! Riding up I-95, I've never seen more road/rail construction in one region. Seemingly every mile there was a new project being constructed. Massive flyovers, elevated metroRail, tunnels, etc.

And I am working on an idea for commuter/light rail in HR after witnessing firsthand the benefits of rail transit up in Phila.

Very true. I read an article in the Pilot that said over the past decade NoVA has received a little over 50% of VA's transportation funding!!! I mean, I can understand them having a significant piece of funding since they're in the metro of our nation's capital and really do need the funds to alleviate some of those D.C. bumper-to-bumper nightmares along I-95, but 50% is ridiculous since NoVA already has such services as the Washington Metro rapid transit and the Virginia Railway Express commuter rail, and the largest cities in VA are in Hampton Roads and are still working on building just a single light rail line, which, hopefully, will extend to the largest city in VA.

[varider]

I want to rant for a sec.

The Secretary of Transportation came to HR and basically said "No highway funding for you, look to light rail for relief." There is obviously funding in the coffer for rail transit, especially with the new administration in the White House. Hampton Roads has gridlock, especially on 264, 64 @ the HRBT and Greenbrier, 564 @ the Naval Station, VaBeachBlvd., Shore Dr., Battlefield Blvd, etc. Rail and other mass transit strategies are the key to the future. But we can't continue a trend of building short lines every 10 years. The Norfolk Starter Line is understandable. But from now on I think we need to start building rail in phases. Lay it all on the table and tell the FTA to fund whatever they are willing. For example:

Phase I [2010]- EVMS-Downtown-Newtown

Phase 2 [2015]- Newtown-TC-Oceanfront

- Military Hwy-Naval Station

Phase 3 [2020]- Military Hwy-Greenbrier

-EVMS-ODU-Naval Station

Phase 4 [2025]- EVMS- Midtown Portsmouth

-Naval Station-Newport News

ETC,ETC,ETC.

If not it's going to look like

[2010] EVMS-Downtown-Newtown

[2015] Newtown-TC-Oceanfront

[2020] Military Hwy-Naval Station

[2025] Military Hwy-Greenbrier

[2030] EVMS-ODU-Naval Station

[2035] EVMS-Midtown Portsmouth

[2040] Naval Station-Newport News

See, we need PHASES! Simultaneous construction. Combined EIS.

Edited November 29, 2009 by varider

[burt]

Due to a derailment early today just north of Main Street Station, Amtrak service between Newport News and Richmond will be by bus.

I have noticed on several occasions when boarding northbound trains at either MSS or Staples Mill Station, trains which originated at Newport News are carrying heavy passenger loads from the Peninsula. Sometimes it's not easy to find a seat in Richmond.

It is hoped rail service will be restored by tomorrow.

From today's Times Dispatch:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/DRAILGAT01_20091201-055401/308838/

[mlsimons]

If any of you guys are looking for our transportation funding.... go to NoVA! Riding up I-95, I've never seen more road/rail construction in one region. Seemingly every mile there was a new project being constructed. Massive flyovers, elevated metroRail, tunnels, etc.

And I am working on an idea for commuter/light rail in HR after witnessing firsthand the benefits of rail transit up in Phila.

Here's a few quotes I assembled today for a presentation...

VDOT’s commissioner has recently said that Hampton Roads will not receive any State funds for road projects for at least 6 years (WTKR- Nov 20, 2009).Even though “the state is proposing an overall increase of about 3 percent in the fiscal year 2010 budget for road construction.” (pilotonline.com).

“HamptonRoads is the only area in the state that would have a reduction…Northern Virginia would see a 5 percent boost in funding.”

“In addition, the region would get no interstate funds in 2011…In that same year, Northern Virginia would get $225 million, or 93.2 percent of the state's interstate money.”

Edited December 2, 2009 by mlsimons

[vdogg]

Man this state irritates the hell out of me. Why do they treat us like this? It makes me wonder why we're even part of Virginia anyway. They take all our tax dollars and profits from the ports and they don't give us a single penny (literally) back. I wonder if North Carolina is looking for a good metro to annex, the seem to take care of their cities.

[mikeas]

I believe I read somewhere about McDonnell was planning to keep at least $300 million a year in port profits in Hampton Roads for transportation and infrastructure improvements. If that is true that will help quite a bit with our northern neighbors stealing all of our road money. We will have to see what happens...

[varider]

What makes me angry is a drive up 95 from Richmond to NoVa. Every 1/2 mile there's a seperate highway/transit project under construction.

Thought this was interesting..

Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer says drivers in Hampton Roads need to look at alternative transportation like light rail.

http://www.gohrt.com/pressroom/?p=661

[jbhay]

Yeah I read that yesterday. Made me lol.

I drive up to NoVA/DC nearly every weekend to chill and I can agree with your complaint. Even though that entire metro area is 5x more populated than HR, we still have the three most populous cities, so it sucks we don't get half as much attention as up there. Then again, the DC Metro area is more educated, and has more businesses than us. We just got ol' Uncle Sam to rely on. If anything is annoying, it's that we have TOO much military here and minimal business opporunities knockin'. Google should re-locate to Norfolk.