The Virginian-Pilot
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Hampton Roads leaders are miffed that no public hearings are scheduled locally on a study released last week on a proposed high speed passenger train between Richmond and Raleigh, N.C.
Eight hearings will be held in July in Virginia and North Carolina along the 162-mile rail corridor. The closest are in Petersburg and Richmond.
Local officials say they worry that Hampton Roads could be bypassed as the nation's rail network grows under President Barack Obama's administration, similar to what happened when the interstate highway system was built 50 years ago.
"This is our moment to stand up and demand to be heard on rail issues," said Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, who has championed regional high speed rail efforts. "We're just not going to have some bureaucracy back-burner the Hampton Roads issues."
State rail officials said the Federal Railroad Administration requires the hearings be held in the project corridor. The line is estimated to cost $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion.
Jennifer Pickett, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, said, "It's a completely open process." Hampton Roads residents can speak at any of the scheduled hearings, she said, and may submit comments in writing or on the website.
Meanwhile, the state wants to host an informational meeting for Hampton Roads, Pickett said. Details have not been set.
A connection to Hampton Roads has been designated by federal authorities as part of the Southeast High Speed Rail corridor. It's planned as a spur off the main line that would run from D.C. to Richmond and into North Carolina.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board in February endorsed routing the high speed rail line along Norfolk Southern freight tracks that parallel U.S. 460 into South Hampton Roads. It's estimated that the spur would cost at least $475 million and would attract close to 1 million passengers annually.
Studies for the connection are a step behind the Richmond-to-Raleigh line.
"There's going to be competition for scarce dollars, and we need to be at the table," Fraim said.
He added that local leaders plan to "kick open some doors to make sure we are heard.... We are not going to be disregarded any longer in these discussions."
Ray Taylor, president of Future Hampton Roads, a regional think tank, said, "We're either in the game, or we take what somebody else decides and it may be short of optimum benefits to our region."
At a hearing sponsored by the state in January, more than 500 Hampton Roads residents packed the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in Norfolk in support of a high speed rail connection along U.S. 460.
The enthusiasm prompted the state to work on establishing, within three years, conventional passenger service along the route that could later be upgraded to high speed rail. The state's draft of the road and transit budget that will be voted on later this month includes the full cost of that project - $93 million.
On Thursday, the draft environmental statement on the Richmond-to-Raleigh segment was released after eight years of study. It's part of an overall plan extending the current high speed service, now operating from Boston to Washington, south to Virginia, the Carolinas and ultimately to Florida.
The Richmond-to-Raleigh portion includes nearly 100 new bridges or overpasses that will create a fully grade-separated system. The trains would have top speeds of 110 mph with average speeds of 85-87 mph.
Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com
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One more observation...
I have one more observation for consideration: On occaision I travel in the Richmond area for business... and I find myself on giant, broad highways in broad daylight during the work week and I essentially have the whole highway to myself! Any lane I want, hardly a vehicle in sight!! (WW2 Memorial, Pocohontas, et al) ...granted, they usually have some kind of toll, but what gives? That doesn't happen in HR at ANY time of the day OR night!!! Something is wonky.
It's Easier
For some reason the state has given Richmond a transportation system that is for metropolitan area twice its size. I think Richmond gets a lot in transportation because it's much easier to build roads in and around the city. There have no large bodies of water they have to deal with (like in Hampton Roads), or a large population to get in the way (like in Northern Virginia).
Regardless it is an
Regardless it is an inaccurate description. Richmond is grid lock during the rush hours. I am a regular visitor. This person must be out on 288 or something.
!
It is time, really long past time, for HR leadership to grow up and form a powerful regional coalition to facilitate the future of this incredibly dynamic area. The potential in HR remains nothing short of awesome, but we are repeatedly crippled by a Hatfield vs. McCoy mentality among the HR cities.
They relentlessly compete against each other in a small-minded manner that continually cripples this region from obtaining and achieving it's potential. Our road system was sufficient for the HR of late last century, but guess what? It's not 1980 any more!! I often feel like the only HR resident who was born and grew up here. I remember HR from the 70's!! It was farm land and gov't bases, not much else.
Look at the phenominal growth in the last 30 years, people moving here from everywhere... but no one wants to pay for infrastructure to support the growth! Entrenched city leaders linger for decades and remain solely focused on their puzzle piece of land in HR! WE MUST HAVE A COORDINATED REGIONAL VOICE. Somehow.
If this does not happen, it will be a bumpy downhill ride from here, and evidence might suggest we are on our way down already. Traffic is strangling us.
Where have all the real trains gone?
There is only one true train that should be allowed to travel the tracks thru the Appalachian Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley… a big coal fired N&W 2-6-6-4 A-Class belching steam locomotive. I was just a little boy but I still remember the sound of the whistle.
Stop Spending My Money Like Its Yours
If there truly was sufficient demand to justify the huge cost of high speed rail private investors would have lobbied for the federal government to use its eminent domain authority to create a rail corridor and put up their private money long ago. Absent sufficient demand you can only build high speed rail by forcing taxpayers to pay for it.
Seems kinda odd
Seems kinda odd that the area with the largest operating Naval Base IN THE WORLD and also one of the largest commercial ports on the East Coast seems to be turning into a transportation backwater because of neglect by the folks in Richmond.
Even more so when the potential for additional revenue for the state coffers is taken into account.
Great idea, but . . .
Anyone who has to go to Richmond, the D.C. area or even to Raleigh-Durham on a regular basis can appreciate the idea of not having to drive and deal with traffic and other problems that come up on those routes. The people who don't travel or get out of their homes regularly are typically the ones that attack high speed rail or any other solution to our traffic problems.
Hampton Roads' problem with tying into a main north-south rail corridor is geographic: the region is east of any logical route between major metropolitan centers. The best the region can legitimately hope for is a tie-in line to say, Petersburg where travelers could get on the main line. Those that are opposed to any idea of an alternative to more or improved highways are condemning the region to become nothing more than a possible tourist destination. Government and private industry jobs will go to places with the easiest and best transportation systems.
Hampton Roads Passenger Rail
For both the positive and mostly the negative commenters on this rail project:
Research the history of passenger rail in this country. You should find that it wasn't because of the advent of automobiles or airlines, rather it was because the Feederal government decreed that both these modes of transportation needed assistance to develop fully just as the railroads did when they were developing.
Unfortunately for the railroads, the taxpayer assistance continues for the other modes of transportation with no expectation they turn a profit. Here, I speak mainly for highways and waterways. Airways, thru merger and downgrades, still manage a profit, but still require massive outlays of taxpayer dollars for support activities such as air traffic controllers, air marshalls, gate security, etc. They are nowhere near the form of travel with great amenities they once were, nor are they necessarily faster with travel to/from the airports outside most cities, check in, security lines, etc.
Given a chance, with a balanced DOT allocation, rail could again shine. Before we talk of high-speed rail service, we need to consider what is really needed. Most knowledgable speakers suggest incr
Rail
If we get light rail/other rail, we will pay dearly for it - that is fine with me as long as they serve beer/wine on the train. If I am traveling to Richmond or DC, at least let me buy a drink. I do not like to drive.