Hampton Roads public transportation plan unveiled

well you know Pedro and sd1955, u may as well be upset at the US government for using our tax dollars to fund NASA. cuz if they didn't fund NASA, then alot of the technology that we're using to have this discussion wouldn't be available. But ur right, it's a waste of money to research something that could help out region and someday an entire Nation. also sd1955, i love how people like u always say that these projects or ideas are done by people that know nothing. Since you know so much, how do u propose we fix the transportation issue? Don't say by adding more lanes or tunnels either.

Pull up beside ANY TRT bus and count the people that are on it. You will probably have fingers left over. The demographics of the riders would be interesting. From what I've seen it appears to be lower income for the most part and those that for whatever reason don't own a car. My point here is that with ridership so low how can this light rail system be something that is needed. They can't pay to repair the existing roads but they can sink BILLIONS into a light rail system that will only serve about ten percent of the population? Somehow the logic escapes me here.

During the next couple of decades, HRT might be able to extend light rail to the oceanfront, naval base, and ODU. They could probably also build bus rapid transit lines along the coeanfront, Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, and a few other locations. The rest of the plan seems like pie in the sky. There is a website for the transit vision plan at: http://www.hamptonroadstransitplan.com/ . For anyone who can't get enough of this debate, there is also a norfolk_light_rail forum on Yahoo! Groups.

The thorn in everyone's side! You are RIGHT ON THE MONEY about all the money spent on these experts. I thought the experts were being interviewed for lofty positions and hired already, guess they don't know squat. Talk a good talk! You or I could probably fill the position with all the ideas we may have, with NO consult fee either! Even a round table "retreat" doesn't answer the needs. Apply for that job when it comes up next time! :)

If we had saved all the money wasted on the endless stream of consultant studies we would a nice down payment on our transportation problems. What fools we are to spend $500,000 here and there to have consultant firms develope schemes for which we know there is no funding. Heck, by 2012 we will not even have the resources to maintain our existing highways. The MPO should be ashamed of this sillyness. If you drive you pay, and the best, least expensive, and least obtrusive way to accomplish that is via a fuel tax increase. Wake up and smell the gasoline fumes America!

The plans will help connect the area better and make travel easier for college students, residents, military, and tourists. It will also create lots of jobs, make our roads safer and bring lots of tourists money to the area. Everybody in the Tidewater Area should throw a party knowing that they have a bright future.

All this naysaying probably sounds a little like the unbelief which DC and Northern VA must have heard in the 70's. Oh well, I guess its a free country so everyone gets a voice. But time will tell and mass transit will come to fruition in the coming decades. The car culture is over, suburban sprawl is inefficient, foreign oil is monopoly, this is the 21st century!

This is more along the line of what I've been harping about in my posts to tame Hampton Roads' traffic and transit issues. This new plan, when realized, can employ hundreds jobs by itself. Traffic congestion is reduced on I-64 and other major roadways, and commuters would only have to go from their home to the nearest station lot. Saves on gas for commuters, too; instead of driving 10's of miles each day, potentially down to only a couple at most. On the light rail and commuter lines, riders can zip right on by traffic stuck on the roads, like at HRBT or I-64/I-264 Interchange, or any of the downtown traffic. This is the correct way to move Hampton Roads ahead instead of just building more roads. Now, if we can have our representatives in state and federal government push for money and stimulus funds, and this ball can get rolling. We shall see.

It's a great idea but from a practicality standpoint the cities in Tidewater aren't very accustomed to working together. Norfolk wants to be Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach wants to be Norfolk. Portsmouth doesn't know what it wants to be, but charges the highest tax rates anyway. Hampton and Newport News don't want to be left out. Chesapeake and Suffolk are less confused, but in all these other cities we have an identity crisis more than anything else. If our cities would actually realize who they are, and stop trying to expand beyond that scope (with the true intent of increasing revenues), we'd have much nicer places to live, and enough cooperation to achieve something like this plan.

That Norfolk - Hampton ferry is all about building condos in the middle of the harbor.

In fact, I have the plan here now, and boy does it rely heavely on increased taxes.

The most logical reason the plan does not adress the local bus service would point to the fact that local bus service does not do anything to provide for additional developer incentives.

How many attacking the Plan have actually read it? Last night I downloaded, printed, and read over the 80 page document.

It's not what I expected, but in some ways is more than I expected. First, for those Flat Earthers who have claimed mass transit can't be done in Hampton Roads, the Plan identifes 18 corridors for enhanced transit. Second, it phases the improvements in over 26+ years. Third, on funding, the draft does cover possibilities on Pages 75-76.

My disappointment: it's heavy on the enhanced corridors, but spends little time on local bus service.

I can provide an alternative plan that is even neater.

Mine uses flying cars and Stargates.

And it is about as likely to happen.

I think this is an idea that should have been brought forward along time ago. I had a problem with the light rail in Norfolk being funded by my money, and my city, Portsmouth, not being connected to it. This plan solves that problem. And the connection that the plan creates between Hampton Roads and Richmond to the north and North Carolina to the south will have a positive impact on our local economy. This is the type of progressive, capitalist thinking leadership that this area has needed for a long time. Great work.

The MPO wants to shift funding from road projects to this pipe dream. But there is no money for road projects? Where is he thinking the money is going to come from?

What an awesome plan. This is exactly what the region needs. I think the little piece of rail from Downtown to Newtown road will flop, because its only anchored at one end and doesnt extend far enough. This plan however would be great. I believe it would do wonders for easing traffic congestion and for the economic development of Hampton Roads. I'm actually surprised anyone in the local govt. has thought this far. Of course it would be tough to pay for it all. But Obama's handing out free money and it seems like this is exactly the type of project that it could be good for. Put folks to work, ease traffic, help the environment, get us off foreign oil and spur economic growth. Maybe I'd support the stimulous if if went to projects like this.

The 7.5 mile stretch of the LTR in Norfolk is going to cost a minimum of $300 million, but somehow they think they will have the money to extend it to NOB, VB oceanfront and across the river to the Peninsula? Who is going to pay for this train, that no one will ride? Can you imagine living in VB and working at NOB and taking an hour and a half train ride to work every day, and then having to pay thousands of dollars a year more in taxes to pay for it? This is a joke, and someone needs to step in with a little common sense and end the transportation authority. People will not be willing to give up their cars, so fix the roads and stop the nonsense.

You have to have a plan before you can implement it. I haven't read it thoroughly, but anything that puts more mass transit in the region so that one could actually contemplate giving up even one of the family cars is worth consideration - less pollution, fewer accidents, less road $$, more affordable transpo options for families. Lower income families especially are desperate for a public transportation system that will let them get to work in a reasonable timeframe.

I, for one, can't wait until we make these changes. I have a vision of a hamptonroads much more prosperous than it is now. I'm already investigating based on these and other plans to see how I can structure my investments, etc. so that I capitalize when these things are instituted. I get excited everytime I cross the highway and see the "tide" being built. I plan to use the light rail whenever possible vice driving through rush-hour traffic.

all I ask is that we police our transportation systems and keep them nice. Even if extra monies have to be spent on security,etc.

http://www.hamptonroadstransitplan.com/PDFs/Draft%20Vision%20Plan%20Layout%2011x17%20as%20submitted.pdf

Here is the 80 page report, please read carefully!