The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
As construction of The Tide extends into downtown, Hampton Roads Transit's light-rail public outreach campaign will move in as well.
Over the next few weeks, downtowners will start seeing 4-foot-by- 6-foot "The Tide is Rising" displays containing light-rail informational brochures inside shops and businesses.
A video simulation of the train moving through Norfolk will run on televisions in the federal building, on the big screen before Tides baseball games and inside some retail stores.
HRT and Norfolk have partnered to build a $288 million, 7.4-mile light-rail line from the city line at Newtown Road, past Norfolk State University and Harbor Park, through downtown to the medical center on Brambleton Avenue.
It's scheduled to open in mid-2010.
HRT's outreach office, in the 400 block of Granby St., will close at the end of March because it was not drawing enough people inside.
"We are taking a more aggressive approach instead of sitting behind a desk waiting for people to come to us," said James Toscano, HRT vice president. "Our goal is to spread as much information about the light-rail project as possible."
HRT's contract with the federal government, which is footing most of the light-rail construction costs, requires significant public outreach.
"Maintaining an office is not the best use of the resources," Toscano said.
The HRT employee who staffed the Granby office will now start working more directly with businesses and residents affected by light-rail construction.
Construction at the two ends of the line started about a year ago. Work downtown geared up the first of the year and will progress deeper into the business core over the next couple of months.
Utility work for light rail is ongoing at the intersection of City Hall and Monticello avenues. Crews have started tearing up City Hall Plaza as well.
The federal share of the project is $167.2 million, the state is contributing $67.1 million and the city is picking up $53.7 million.
Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com
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Voting for or against LRT
In V.B., how many people voted against?
If it was close, like 60-40 or even 70-30, did it ever occur to those voting no that those who voted in favor don't want to drive and get stuck in traffic?
Yes tex money is being spent.
It's also spent on worthless projects elswhere, in the state, nation and the world. I'm refering to the UN, first and foremost, as well as Social Security (fraud galore) and Medicare/Medicaid (more fraud).
And a certain war, someplace, although that cost pales in comparison to SS, Medicare/Medicaid.
Back to LRT.
How many hours are you stuck in traffic on a daily basis? How much gas are you buying/wasting? In your SUV or other gas Guzzler?
How much $ would you save by taking LRT to/from Norfolk/VA Beach?
What about the military folk who could/would/should NOT drive after getting drunk, especially after a deployment?
And those same military folk who could also avoid tying up traffic by taking LRT to/from work?
If these does points do not sway you, then you are stuck in the past, as other posters have said.
Get with the program
My only regret regarding light rail coming to Norfolk is that our leaders have taken so long to ignore the short-sighted naysayers who oppose progress. In all the posts that slam light rail, you see the same common themes: "nobody rides the buses, why would anyone ride light rail?" and "boo hoo, taxpayer money is being spent on a certain failure." I have yet to see a good proposal on what should be done, only what shouldn't. Many of my friends and I would ride light rail yet we don't ride the bus. We would commute to work that way, we would go out to dinner that way, we would someday take light rail to the beach, etc. With regard to taxes, there are not many tax expenditures that benefit every single member of a society. Sometimes, choices are made that have a big impact for the greatest number of taxpayers. Get over it. I have no doubt that I will see continued bashing of light rail as the Pilot provides articles on its progress. I would ask of the naysayers this favor: If and when the light rail is successful, you should return to these posts and admit your shortsightedness. You should publicly admit that you got it wrong rather than slip into silent anonymity. In r
Here We Go Again
The V-P does a story on light rail and the VBTA/TLP Kool-Aid Chuggers swarm out of the woodwork like cockroaches. Onto the facts:
1. The Tide On Granby office was opened to connect with downtown Norfolk businesses during construction. Given the relationship HRT has built with the Downtown Norfolk Council, the office is now redundant.
Rather than applaud the savings, they actually attack. Go figure.
2. Once again, remember that this a a "Starter Line". Mistakes will be made the first time out that won't be repeated, like opening such offices when more effective means have been learned.
3. Finally, the FTA won't fund further extensions unless it can be shown that they are viable as stand-alone projects. When you toss in the feeder bus traffic, they pass expectations.
The bottom line: light rail is happening in Norfolk, and will be extended through the region. Learn to live in the real world.
Dr Tabor
Since LRT will be no better used than the MAX express bus, there is no worries about a seatmate. 40 Passenger bus and only 5-8 people per bus. Plenty of available seats.
Is this the same HRT that
Is this the same HRT that just a couple weks ago was talking about reducing service on some popular bus routes because they lacked the funds to keep them going or expand them?
Perhaps they might want to maintain or improve their current services before worrying about marketing something that is not ready to move people.
What a waste of money - Who knew
there was an HRT office in the 400 block of Granby? what a waste. All promotions should be in the parking garages exists. Duh. On another note, this weekend washington post article, 'retailers lining up' to lease property at Metro Rapid Transit 1st Phase Dulles Silver line stations, (Metro section, Page C4),coffee shops, bakery's, etc. and the land is already owned by insiders of the project. go figure.
That better be some ad campaign
Even assuming the line is extended to the Oceanfront, for most people who might use the Tide:
It will take almost as long to drive to a parking lot on the light rail line as it takes to drive in. Unless you work near a station, you will have to take a bus to finish your commute. The total resultant commute using the Tide (drive to station, ride the slow train, and take a bus)will be from two to three times longer than driving on a bad traffic day. The cost, even though it is subsidized 75%, will still be more than you save on gas. If you need to go out at lunchtime, you won't have a car, so you either walk, or take a cab or bus. You will have no privacy, security or choice of who seatmate, which will at least make the TIDE, and its stations, popular with hoodlums, panhandlers, and pedophiles.
Its going to take some really good advertising to get significant number of people to ride this turkey.
Tide
The first segment will have challenges. Not until the system expands to where it needs to go will it have real viability. That means (1) all the way to the ocean front in Virginia Beach, (2) from Down Town Norfok to the Naval Base (3) across to the penninsula and (4) over to Portsmouth... its got to move past places where there are current tie-ups and tunnal backups to succeed...
Years away...
More waste of precious tax dollars
Here we go again - our precious tax dollars are being misused by an unaccountable regional entity to hype and "sell" an abuse of our tax dollars!
Waste
"HRT's outreach office will close at the end of March because it was not drawing enough people inside."
Stand by, few years from now the headline will read "HRT is shutting down LRT because it was not drawing enough people to ride".
If they can't even get them in the door, or get them to ride an express shuttle bus, what in the world makes them think they will ride a train?