The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
On the eve of a public hearing on proposals to expand the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the City Council unanimously passed a non binding resolution Tuesday opposing all six options.
"It's a dumb idea," Councilman Don Williams said about expanding the tunnel. Williams represents and lives in Willoughby, which would bear the brunt of any construction and resulting problems if there is an expansion.
A public hearing is scheduled tonight at Granby High School, 7101 Granby St. The ideas will be available for the public to review at 6 p.m. A presentation by Virginia Department of Transportation officials at 7 p.m. will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
A similar public hearing last week in Hampton drew about 100 people, many of whom supported expanding the tunnel.
VDOT was asked by two Peninsula legislators to study adding two lanes to the four-lane bridge-tunnel. However, all three two-lane options studied by VDOT would do little to relieve traffic congestion, officials said.
So VDOT came up with three additional options to add four lanes, either through tunnels or a mammoth, 800-foot-tall bridge. All would take property in Norfolk, and each would cost $3.2 billion or more, not including design or property acquisition fees.
Mayor Paul Fraim said Tuesday that the VDOT study confirms what regional officials concluded years ago - that a new, third crossing between Norfolk and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel is the best way to solve traffic problems between the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads.
The scaled-back version of the third crossing, estimated to cost about $2 billion, would funnel traffic from the Wards Corner area of Norfolk westward past the Norfolk Naval Station and over the Hampton Roads harbor.
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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Destroy too many homes...
"Norfolk officials say all six proposals, four that would add tunnels and two that would add bridges, would destroy too many homes and bring too much noise and pollution to Willoughby and Ocean View."
"...destroy too many homes..", the only difference between Willoughby, parts of Ocean View and other condemed neighborhoods of Nofolk is color and Norfolk losing property tax revenue.
3rd crossing cost and funding
The cost of the 3rd crossing, with nothing connected to it, might be in the $2Billion range, but with the lane additions to 664, 64 & 460, plus connections, the cost of the 3rd Crossing, Port of Virginia package, is just over $6 Billion. All of these additions exist to connect the Ports to points west and do nothing for congestion within Hampton Roads.
But even so, if it were self funded with tolls, plus a fair share of fuel tax revenue proportionate to use, I would have no problem with it. But all funding plans for it have shifted the burden from users to local taxpayers, first with a proposed regional sales tax and then primarily with a tax on home sales. The Port traffic benefits people all over the Eastern USA, and the only way to have all those people contribute is for the costs to be embedded in the price of imported goods through shipping costs. Either truck tolls or container fees at the Port would accomplish that, but taking thousands of dollars out of local home sellers equity with a grantors tax is just plain wrong.
Viva revolution!
VDOT rebelling against the politicians and giving THE PEOPLE what they really want. I64 needs to be 8 lanes from I-664 in Hampton to Wards Corner HOV ramps, and now VDOT can longer hide its conclusion of the obvious, even if the Norfolk political machine demands otherwise.
Hypocrites!
No one cared what all the light rail constuction and other construction downtown would do to the small business's in the area. Many have had to let some employees go already and are hoping closure is not in the future. How about adding 1 more tube and lane that can be traffic directional like the hov lanes? Eastbound in the morning and Westbound in the afternoon.
Mass Transit
Still we have not talked about a long term transportation solution. Build 15 crossings, you still have not addressed the fundamental issue that cars are an ineffective way to move people. Instead, extend the light rail through ODU and Naval Station Norfolk (the largest employer in hampton roads) and cross over to NN. NN is in the strategic planning phase of their own light rail. Lets not waste the enthusiasm of Norfolk's starter rail and for once rally regional support for a quantum leap forward in this region. A comprehensive mass transit is the only way to propel HR into the 21st century and promote a sustainable future.
What good would the Third Crossing Do?
IT would just move the bottleneck from HRBT to I-664, but since the port wants it so they can have a connector on craney island I'm sure this is the way its gonna go down...SHORT sighteness is what got us where we are now, Who among us didnt see Suffolk blowing up like it did when MMBT was completed? Why didnt they make it 8 lanes then???
The third crosing is going to help
more than just the ports. Naval Base traffic and west Norfolk would also utilize the 3rd crossing. Also, I think the number is closer to $2 Billion.
Next, tolls would make it paid by users. And, finally, it would reduce the congestion in the other tunnels. Why should the Port Authority alone pay for all those benefits to our community?
Out of touch with reality...as usual
I wonder if Don Williams has ever driven from the Southside to the Peninsula via I-64, at ANY time of the day? Even late at night, driving on 64 to the other side of the tunnel is a pain in the butt because of congestion from Wards Corner all the way to the tunnel.
A two-lane Interstate like 64 doesn't cut it in 2008, and Norfolk needs to find a solution ASAP. I actually love the way they're building up the Peninsula, but try to avoid going to that side as much as possible because I hate dealing with the traffic. And I-664 is slowly becoming the same way.
" acrimony for the ports" ??
I don't think anyone has a gripe with the Ports per se, they should just pay their own way like any other business.
If it were a privately owned business trying to manipulate government to give it a $6 Billion subsidy from Hampton Roads taxpayers, would you support that?
If the Port wants their driveway, then it should be paid for with Tolls by those who use it, not homeowners in Hampton Roads who will rarely, if ever, use it.
That way, the cost of the roadway becomes embedded in shipping costs and passed on to those who benefit.
Obama's Infrastructure stimulis package
While reading about the disgraced Democratic Governor of Illinois, I saw he had several road improvement projects on his State's wish list. Does anybody know what road projects our Governor is wishing for (aside from his road to a cabinet seat or ambassadorship)?
It would be a shame to miss out on all this government funding (although it still isn’t clear where all that funding is coming from) because the Council is waiting for a plan that will make everybody happy.