Hampton Roads Tide Light Rail thread

[Cirrus]

BTW, if you haven't seen them, I posted photos of the line in a different thread last month.

[202_Cyclist]

Va. Beach mayor calls for referendum on light rail

By Mike Hixenbaugh
The Virginian-Pilot
March 15, 2012

"Mayor Will Sessoms wants a referendum - as soon as November - to determine whether the city should pursue light rail, saying he's hearing a groundswell of support for extending The Tide from Norfolk.

"I know we have said that we would wait for a light-rail study to be complete at the end of this year to decide which direction to take, but we have all The Tide's success - above and beyond what was anticipated," Sessoms said of the rail line, which opened in August and has exceeded initial ridership projections. "Therefore, I think the time is right to ask voters whether they would support bringing The Tide into Virginia Beach."

The mayor made the remarks Wednesday during his annual state of the city address at the Virginia Beach Convention Center..."

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/03/va-b...dum-light-rail

[vdogg]

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/05/resi...t-rail-hilltop

"Long-range city planners have suggested taking the proposed light-rail line to the popular Hilltop shopping area - a new idea that has some City Council members and residents excited.

This would require diverting the line off the former Norfolk Southern right-of-way and up Laskin Road along one of the feeder streets that flank both sides of the busy artery.

"Since you're going to be rebuilding Laskin Road in the future to begin with, why not take advantage of all that right-of-way and just put the transit in there?" said Paul Ostergaard, senior vice president for Urban Design Associates."

[202_Cyclist]

Light rail passes easily in Virginia Beach

By Gabriella Souza
The Virginian-Pilot
November 7, 2012

"Light-rail supporters wanted a decisive approval of a referendum they hoped would spur the city to bring The Tide here.

They got it.

About 62 percent of voters approved the referendum, according to the State Board of Elections. Though the referendum was nonbinding, the City Council likely will adopt an ordinance stating it will pursue light-rail financing and development options..."

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/11/ligh...virginia-beach

[Swede]

62% is pretty good. Once it is built LRT lines usually get a popularity-boost in my experience.

Any chance of a map showing these proposed extensions?

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Swede

62% is pretty good. Once it is built LRT lines usually get a popularity-boost in my experience.

Any chance of a map showing these proposed extensions?

This map was included in the earlier posted link.


The map shows the advantages light rail has over commuter rail very well, the ability to make turns on city streets. All the alternative routes leave the old railroad corridor miles away from the proposed terminus at the beach. The differences between them are how they get from the Hilltop area to the beach.

The construction costs to remain in the ex-NS railroad corridor as long as possible should be significantly cheaper than any of the routes to the Hilltop area, mainly because there will be far less utility lines and pipes to work on, and far less traffic to divert and handle during construction. But station locations are very important, both politically and economically.

[202_Cyclist]

Va. Beach receives private proposal to extend Tide

By Dave Forster and Gabriella Souza
The Virginian-Pilot
April 3, 2013

"A private development group wants to extend light rail into the city and says it can have The Tide running past Town Center by the end of 2016 - at least four years earlier than current projections.

The city received the proposal Tuesday but released few details other than who was behind the offer and the group's assertion that it could have the five-mile extension operational in November 2016.

The more aggressive timeline means the private proposal does not rely on federal funding, a step that adds years to a project's study and approval. City leaders have said federal money is vital to the chances of The Tide's extension to Virginia Beach..."

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/04/va-b...al-extend-tide

[Lakelander]

Nice!

[Wheelingman04]

Originally Posted by Dralcoffin

Congrats Norfolk!

I hope to ride on each rail transit system in the country. So far I'm only at the Chicago L, Minneapolis Hiawatha, St Louis Metrolink, and Washington Metro, But I'm glad to see another city join my list.

Come to Pittsburgh

[202_Cyclist]

Hampton Roads Transit wants your input on a light rail extension to Military Circle

By Daniel Berti
Virginian-Pilot
June 14, 2022


Hampton Roads Transit's proposal would extend the Tide's existing rail line by 2 miles to the Sentara Leigh Hospital campus and Military Circle to give commuters access to coming redevelopment. (Courtesy of HRT)

"Hampton Roads Transit is seeking community input about a potential expansion of its light rail system.

Transit officials will host a workshop Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at Military Circle mall for community members to view the proposed addition and receive feedback.

The 2.2-mile extension of the rail line — known as The Tide — is being planned from its last station at Newtown Road to the Sentara Leigh Hospital campus and Military Circle mall..."

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/tra...7fu-story.html

[Busy Bee]

This is a system I admittedly know very little about.

[electricron]

Whether or not extending the light rail line to the old Military Circle mall location really depends upon what redevelopment occurs at the old mall site.Will it be mixed use transit development with tons of cheap residential condos or apartments, or more expensive single family homes?

Virginia Beach has had over a decade to extend the light rail line east to the oceanfront and has showned little interest getting it done, so I am not against sending the line elsewhere in a different direction. But it has to make sense.