Quote:
Originally Posted by vdogg
I've ridden the train more than a few times, and most people I've talked too are sticking with it. The community has really embraced it and the college students absolutely love it.
1) Beginning at the Medical Center/Fort Norfolk Station, Fraim suggested extending The Tide around West Ghent and over the Elizabeth River to 26th Street, then up Hampton Boulevard past Old Dominion University to the base.
2) A proposal from Councilman Paul R. Riddick would begin downtown and use the city's right of way on Granby Street to extend through Wards Corner to the base.
3) A long-studied extension from the Newtown Road Station on the Virginia Beach border, parallel to Interstate 64 to the Navy base.
What do you guys think? Which of the three extensions would you choose?
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1) I like Hampton Blvd route because it does pass near ODU on its way to Navy Station. I don't think the Navy will approve light rail on the base because of security concerns, and I don't think Norfolk citizens want airport screening procedures to get on the trains.
2) I don't like the Granby St route that much. I think it would be better to use Tidewater Dr instead, and head towards the Ocean View area and that beach. Streetcars use to run on Tidewater Dr to get passengers to the old amusement park that used to be located on the beach.
3) Following the freeway is the worse solution. It would be better to run down the center of Military Parkway than I-64, which isn't that far away.
All three of these solutions, and my extra two, require running in dedicated lanes in city streets. Houston's Metro has shown that is asking for many car-train accidents, more than what happens when running trains on abandoned railroad corridors. There are two freight corridors heading north from the existing light rail line that could be used (shared corridor - separate tracks), but I don't think the railroads will allow it. The study should look at all the options, some options may be eliminated almost immediately.