HRT indefinitely halts study on light rail in Virginia Beach

CORRECTION: Hampton Roads Transit’s study of extending light rail into Virginia Beach will cost $6.6 million. Due to a source error, an earlier version of this story included incorrect information.

Hampton Roads Transit has put its study of light rail in Virginia Beach on indefinite hold, one month before it was set to release preliminary costs and ridership estimates for an extension from Norfolk to the Oceanfront.

HRT issued a stop-work notice to its consultant late last week after questions surfaced from Federal Transit Administration officials about phasing in extensions and about models used to project ridership. HRT says federal officials indicated they may want actual ridership counts from The Tide starter line in Norfolk, which won't open until later this year.

In a letter to City Manager Jim Spore on Friday, HRT President and CEO Philip Shucet indicated a "time-out" of a year or more may be necessary. Because addressing the FTA's concerns could affect ridership and cost projections,Shucet said, "despite public anticipation," HRT will not be providing those numbers until the study is reactivated.

Spore said he expected a presentation to the City Council later this month and a public hearing next month.

Shucet said he's seeking clarification of recent FTA concerns, which will determine the length of the delay. He said it could range from days to more than a year.

"The comments from the FTA could have serious impacts on the scope, schedule and budget," Shucet said. "Because of that, I don't want to continue to spend public money if there's even a semblance of a cloud" over the study.

HRT has already spent $2.7 million with Nebraska-based engineering firm HDR Inc. for the study, which began nearly two years ago. The study's budget is $6.6 million, paid for by federal and state grants.

The FTA would not comment specifically on the issues.

"At a meeting held last week, HRT and its consultants provided FTA with an initial set of information on the ridership forecasting methodology and preliminary results," an FTA spokesperson said. "FTA provided feedback at the meeting and will continue to work with HRT as the study progresses."

Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms is OK with the slowdown.

"I think a breather isn't a problem at all to be honest; I've been saying for while let's take a timeout," Sessoms said. "With all the negativity about the Norfolk project, we need to be sure the numbers on costs and ridership are accurate.

"Any extra scrutiny, I welcome."

Norfolk's light-rail line is running $106 million over budget and more than a year and a half behind schedule.

Virginia Beach councilman Jim Wood, a former HRT board chairman, said he's disappointed that the public debate on whether to build light rail will have to wait.

"It's certainly a setback because without the data, you can't have a dialogue," he said.

Wood is also concerned about whether the delay will drive up the project's budget: "Stops and starts would most certainly end up costing more money."

Shucet said a study delay is not the same as a construction delay, which involves equipment and material investments.

"The cost is no impact or very minimal," he said.

The current study schedule shows a selection by the end of the year on what's known as a locally preferred alternative, a decision on which transit option - rail or buses - would work best in the corridor being studied. The corridor consists of the 10.8-mile inactive Norfolk Southern right-of-way from Newtown to Birdneck roads. Connections to the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Oceanfront are also being examined.

Beach leaders said they had hoped to schedule a voter referendum on the issue for the spring 2012 ballot, then make a decision sometime after that about whether to commit to light rail.

Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com