The Virginian-Pilot
©
PORTSMOUTH
A proposal to expand the Midtown Tunnel could bring a light-rail connection to Portsmouth.
But city officials still don't know how much residents might have to pay in tolls should the proposal to build a second Midtown Tunnel tube, refurbish the Downtown Tunnel and construct an extension of the Martin Luther King Freeway become reality.
The City Council met earlier this week with representatives from Elizabeth River Crossings LLC, the consortium of private firms that has submitted a plan for the project.
William Allen, director of development for consortium member Skanska, a Sweden-based construction company, told city officials that the proposal could accommodate light rail in the second, two-lane tube of the Midtown Tunnel that is envisioned as part of the $2 billion plan.
But he said the tunnel would have to sacrifice a traffic lane to do so.
Vice Mayor Bill Moody Jr. said he wasn't pleased to hear that.
"I was hoping that it would be engineered to accommodate that extra space, not eliminate an extra lane of traffic," he said.
The proposal includes plans to build a four-lane extension to the Martin Luther King Freeway in Portsmouth to connect the tunnels. The public-private partnership would require no state funds.
Council members expressed concern that Portsmouth residents might have to pay a toll to drive from Churchland to downtown Portsmouth, without even traveling through a tunnel.
Allen told city officials he expected that people would not have to pay tolls just to cross the city. But he added that countless variables are affecting the project and, in turn, the amount of the potential toll.
"I know you're all dying to ask me what the toll rate's going to be, and I can tell you, quite honestly, I don't know," Allen said.
Moody said he was concerned about the price of the toll. Initially, the conceptual proposal included tolls ranging from $2 to $3 for cars and as high as $9 for trucks.
"The Hampton Roads area is a region of a lot of middle class, and people who commute daily between cities," Moody said. "They just can't afford a toll that expensive."
Ian D. Johnston, a project management engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation, said the goal is to keep the tolls as low as possible.
"Certainly, we understand the gravity on citizens," Johnston said.
He said the toll amount would be determined further along in the process.
Mayor James Holley acknowledged the political implications of the toll and called upon council members and staff to formulate a strategy to ensure the city's views are represented.
"What we're trying to do is protect the citizens, somebody going through it four times a day," Holley said.
An independent review panel - which includes City Manager Kenneth Chandler - that is vetting technical and financial aspects of the proposal is scheduled to meet for the first time at 4 p.m. March 25 at Portsmouth City Hall.
Public hearings are also supposed to be held in Norfolk and Portsmouth, but they have not yet been scheduled.
Jen McCaffery (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
To judwya:
"The Loop" would work if the "loop" it serves was broadened. City officials can't see beyond "Downtown". They need to realize there are many more people and zip codes that make up the City of Portsmouth.
If you live outside of "Downtown", you're 'out of the loop' in more ways than one.
Twenty First Century Review
Perhaps it is time to review the 20th Century policy of building tunnels instead of bridges to avoid ships being trapped in case of war. I think that we could keep this policy for the HRBT and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnels as they could trap the fleet. However, to spend billions more on tunnels rather than bridges for the mid-town and downdown tunnels (shipyards) is a bit antiquated and does not reflect the nature of war in the 21st Century. This is especially evident in light of terrorist attacks and how vulnerable tunnels are. The same amount of explosives in a truck in a tunnel versus one on a bridge can result in the total destruction of the tunnel and a two year repair time schedule instead of a fairly quick fix (at least some lanes) for a bridge.
part 2
toward Raleigh and on through to Charlotte, North Carolina would connect Tidewater with the high tech corridor, the university system, and the large hub that is Charlotte. Franklin, farmers, and the small industrial business parks that are already out in the further reaches are ready for new and expanding businesses.
Newport News already has an active rail system thru to Williamsburg and points north. If Virginia Beach does not want light rail then there are ways to still benefit the rest of the region without their active participation. If enough jobs are created westward and northward then people decrease commuting to Virginia Beach and their traffic problem will become essentially internal.
TRAFFIC
I think it is time to add some common sense to our traffic situation. Portsmouth has "The Loop" that does nothing but drive in a loop with empty seats. Would be interested to know what this costs the city and what the return is. Citizens have been asking for Portsmouth to chip in with HRT to have a bus service from a "Park and Go" on Ptown side to NOB for years. I bet we can fill the bus and elimate some traffic in the tunnels and on Hampton Blvd. It could provide drop offs at Norfolk Sentara, ODU and NOB.
What do you think?
While the money is flowing
I would not have wished our Federal Government to sign this horrid spending bill; however it is now a done deal. If federal money for roads and rails coupled with private companies willing to jump in and invest then it is time to think large.
Portsmouth, Suffolk, Norfolk, Franklin, and Emporia could succeed with light rail AND high speed cargo rail. Utilizing routes 460 and 58 for modern, tri-model, traffic solutions would be a very progressive and forward thinking way to approach at least part of the regional traffic problem.
Think abut “regional” as southwest Tidewater, Richmond, Raleigh, and Charlotte.
Using a combination of high speed cargo/passenger rail, existing roadways, and light rail is a smarter, longer term view and approach to implement. Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Suffolk towards Petersburg, Richmond and eventually the Metro system into Washington, will allow for commerce and job growth along an expanded route 460. The small towns and growing cities along route 460 will prosper with expanded access to transportation for both business and leisure.
South west out of Norfolk towards Emporia and I-95 and an eventual connection with the LINX
mlsimons
Having Skanska (or anyone) collect that portion of light rail fare would be a violation of Federal Transit Administration regulations
Forward Thinking
Wow, you mean they really want to expand the light rail? Geeze, I thought it was a train to nowhere!! To all of those who said it would not work, this one is for you! See, everyone is so concered with the current layout of the light rail, they fail to see the potential. You have to start somewhere, and that is what Norfolk has done. Norfolk started the light rail because they were able to grab the federal dollars. Now we have the beginning of a system; something we can add on to, which from this article is obviously the intentions of the brass up stairs. It is also obvious that any rails between the cities divided by water would have to run in a tunnel. When they originally built METRO in D.C. the citizens of Georgetown did not want the lines. NOW, they are kicking themselves. Hold out VA Beach, see where it gets you!
good ideas
Obviously a new midtown tunnel tube is needed, and a light rail extension to portsmouth would be excellent. Extend the line to the Bavy base and I think lots of people would use the light rail system. Oh, and moose, your idea of building a tunnel from terminal blvd to craney island is part of the third crossing plans.
Hot terms
This articles contains the terms "tolls" and "light rail," so everybody break open your bottles of whine. Slowly, but surely, average civilian citizens are getting fed up with the circa 1890 approach to managing the problems of Hampton Roads and are moving out. Eventually, Virginia Beach will anger the Navy to the point of completely pulling out and all the whiners will quickly realize that they're the only ones left and that they are located in a truly desolate cul-de-sac with crumbling roads and bridges and 8000 empty storefronts where chain restaurants used to be.
mlsimons
What a great idea. I'd pay that so I could just drive through the ez pass lane. I live in Portsmouth close to the midtown tunnel and traffic is the pits. I know tolls are inevitable. With ideas like this I hope Skanska can come up with something good and acceptable. Maybe even a discounted yearly fee.