Will you ride light rail? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: 2009, how much, employment)

[cityboi757]

No, that's not it. You guys are just too short- sighted to think about the future. Every transit system starts as a "starter line," that is exactly what this is. The D.C. Metro started as 5 miles. Now it's over 100 miles of rail. Ours will start at 7.4 miles, who knows how big it could get.

gohrt.com | Hampton Roads Transit | Serving Hampton Roads, Virginia

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) has hired HDR Inc. to provide services for the study of two potential extensions to The Tide, HRT's Light Rail Transit (LRT) system. The first extension under study is a potential fixed guideway connection from the eastern end of The Tide in Norfolk at Newtown Road to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront along the Norfolk Southern Corporation's inactive right of way. The second segment of study is a potential extension of The Tide to Naval Station Norfolk. Fixed guideway projects operate in their own transit right of way.
This website is designed to provide information on the first study, called the Virginia Beach Transit Extension Study. When the study for the extension to Naval Station Norfolk begins, a separate web page will be established.

http://hamptonroads.com/node/498038

Among the specific proposals:

• Extending the light-rail line now under construction in Norfolk to Norfolk Naval Station, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk and the Peninsula.
• Building commuter rail between Norfolk and North Carolina through Chesapeake and between downtown Portsmouth and downtown Suffolk.
• Running ferry service connecting Norfolk with Hampton and Newport News until light rail can cross the harbor.
• Implementing a bus rapid-transit line at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach.
• Establishing an intermodal transportation hub near Harbor Park in Norfolk linking light rail, commuter rail and bus lines.
• Expanding express bus routes.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

No, that's not it. You guys are just too short- sighted to think about the future. Every transit system starts as a "starter line," that is exactly what this is. The D.C. Metro started as 5 miles. Now it's over 100 miles of rail. Ours will start at 7.4 miles, who knows how big it could get.

gohrt.com | Hampton Roads Transit | Serving Hampton Roads, Virginia



Hampton Roads public transportation plan unveiled | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

The future and long range visions are silly to talk about...we could be talking about flying cars or personal jet packs or the way the economy is right now we could be talking about going back to the old horse and buggy mode of transportation for future modes of travel.......

But studies are just that..... studies.......we have been doing studies for the southeastern expressway for 20 plus years..where have they got us....zilch, nada, no where, etc..... .The political leaders around here don't go to the bathroom without a study being done first......so if you think a study means its going to happen you are sadly mistaken......

Sure the beach is the best option because its a straight shot down the rail line, but tell me how it is going to get to the naval base?

Tell me how it is going to get to the Peninsula....A ferry service...LOL you really believe that....and how long do you think it would take for the ferry to get across the water even on days the water is flat and calm let alone days the weather is bad.....I don't see to many people leaving for work 3 hours earlier then they are now to get to work just so they can take light rail...The 3rd crossing if ever built is planned with the light rail system built in....but what is the time frame on the 3rd crossing being built and usable... 30-40 years?

And trying to compare Hampton Roads to DC is really reaching. DC has the 2nd busiest rail system in the country next to NY with over 700,000 riders a day ....What are the numbers expected for Norfolk's light rail...around 6000-12,000 riders a day...and I will be surprised if even the low end of that number will be reached 99% of the time......

[cityboi757]

Originally Posted by rtandc

The future and long range visions are silly to talk about...we could be talking about flying cars or personal jet packs or the way the economy is right now we could be talking about going back to the old horse and buggy mode of transportation for future modes of travel.......

But studies are just that..... studies.......we have been doing studies for the southeastern expressway for 20 plus years..where have they got us....zilch, nada, no where, etc..... .The political leaders around here don't go to the bathroom without a study being done first......so if you think a study means its going to happen you are sadly mistaken......

Sure the beach is the best option because its a straight shot down the rail line, but tell me how it is going to get to the naval base?

Tell me how it is going to get to the Peninsula....A ferry service...LOL you really believe that....and how long do you think it would take for the ferry to get across the water even on days the water is flat and calm let alone days the weather is bad.....I don't see to many people leaving for work 3 hours earlier then they are now to get to work just so they can take light rail...The 3rd crossing if ever built is planned with the light rail system built in....but what is the time frame on the 3rd crossing being built and usable... 30-40 years?

And trying to compare Hampton Roads to DC is really reaching. DC is the 2nd busiest rail system in the country next to NY with over 700,000 riders a day or almost 20 million riders a month....What are the numbers expected for Norfolk's light rail...around 7000 riders...and I don't think that number will even be reached......

So your telling me there is something wrong with talking about flying cars? We already have the technology, it's just not efficient enough yet. The point is light rail is coming to hampton roads and withi 30 years will be extended throughout the entire metro. If you don't see that possible then I don't really care. Every city has planned LRT in there LRP (long range plan). It's going to the oceanfront via the abandoned NS ROW and the Naval Base via Hampton Blvd. passing ODU. Ridership estimate in 2036 is 140,000 riders per day. Take it as you'd like.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

So your telling me there is something wrong with talking about flying cars? We already have the technology, it's just not efficient enough yet. The point is light rail is coming to hampton roads and withi 30 years will be extended throughout the entire metro. If you don't see that possible then I don't really care. Every city has planned LRT in there LRP (long range plan). It's going to the oceanfront via the abandoned NS ROW and the Naval Base via Hampton Blvd. passing ODU. Ridership estimate in 2036 is 140,000 riders per day. Take it as you'd like.

OK tell me how it is going down Hampton Blvd, since you seem to know so much...the mayor, the planning commission and everyone involved with the light rail plans have already stated that devoting a line for light rail on Hampton Blvd is all ready out.......So you must know more then everyone else does about light rail...so how is it going to get there?

Here read this because Hampton Blvd will not see light rail


Norfolk Light Rail Plan

The Norfolk light rail line is the first step in Hampton Roads Transit's long term plan to have light rail or bus rapid transit lines serving both South side and the Peninsula. Due to the tight corridors along Hampton Boulevard and Colley Avenue, an extension from the Medical Center terminus is problematic. The Navy Base would eventually be reached via another existing rail corridor that passes through the Ward's Corner area. The proposed third crossing of Hampton Roads Harbor would be used to connect to a light rail or bus rapid transit line along the CSX corridor on the Peninsula. Old Dominion University is not on the map and neither is Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach voters failed to endorse planning efforts to extend the Norfolk light rail line along the existing rail corridor to the ocean front.


You can have you opinion just like I have mine over how and where light rail might go in the future but if you are going to try and prove something at least have your facts right....because if not I will call you out

[ToughLuv]

The rail needs to go from Denbigh in NN to the strip in VA Beach. Once this happens we can all be one in peace & harmony.

[Spazkat9696]

I live in VA Beach, and I will vote against it every time!!! And trust me I vote in every election. It's just not something we need. Last I heard light rail was like Amtrak in that it's unable to sustain itself. That means we'll have to pay to build it, and then subsidize it to keep it going. NO THANKS!!!!

[xGrendelx]

Absolutely I'd ride it. I can't wait to get rid of my car.

[cityboi757]

Originally Posted by rtandc

OK tell me how it is going down Hampton Blvd, since you seem to know so much...the mayor, the planning commission and everyone involved with the light rail plans have already stated that devoting a line for light rail on Hampton Blvd is all ready out.......So you must know more then everyone else does about light rail...so how is it going to get there?

Here read this because Hampton Blvd will not see light rail


Norfolk Light Rail Plan

The Norfolk light rail line is the first step in Hampton Roads Transit's long term plan to have light rail or bus rapid transit lines serving both South side and the Peninsula. Due to the tight corridors along Hampton Boulevard and Colley Avenue, an extension from the Medical Center terminus is problematic. The Navy Base would eventually be reached via another existing rail corridor that passes through the Ward's Corner area. The proposed third crossing of Hampton Roads Harbor would be used to connect to a light rail or bus rapid transit line along the CSX corridor on the Peninsula. Old Dominion University is not on the map and neither is Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach voters failed to endorse planning efforts to extend the Norfolk light rail line along the existing rail corridor to the ocean front.


You can have you opinion just like I have mine over how and where light rail might go in the future but if you are going to try and prove something at least have your facts right....because if not I will call you out

Thans for the info. Look man, I'm not some LRT expert, I don't work for HRT, and I'm not the mayor. All I'm saying is that you can always find a way to expand rail. It needs to be done, it likely will be done, and even that link shows you this thing will eventualy be regional.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

Thans for the info. Look man, I'm not some LRT expert, I don't work for HRT, and I'm not the mayor. All I'm saying is that you can always find a way to expand rail. It needs to be done, it likely will be done, and even that link shows you this thing will eventualy be regional.

No you said light rail would run to ODU and Hampton Blvd which is false, everything else as far a light rail running to the beach and other cities is just your vision and you do not have any facts that light rail will be coming to the beach you just hope it does...so far besides the starter line in Norfolk everything else is just a possibility....Its possible I might win the Lotto tomorrow night also but I am not counting on it........

So like Spazkat9696 I too will vote No for light rail every time....I also dont want to pay for something that can not pay for it self.......Norfolk is famous for doing that I dont want to see the Beach doing the same....

Hampton Roads is not layed out property for light rail to be effective and the cost will be super high just due to the number of waterways and wetlands this area has......Hampton Roads has always been very vehicle dependant and running a few miles of light rail tracks around Hampton Roads will not solve that problem

[citydweller]

Nova is the epitome of sprawl and they have LR out in the burbs. I agree they have higher density than we but just give us a few years and density here will increase and so will usage of the Tide.