mlsimons

NoVa population is only 2 million...our's is 1.7 million, plus we have the port traffic, and no one's taking the metro to work around here, so we have all those drivers on our roads...and we have 5 tunnels and 1,000 drawbridges to cross. WE'RE SCREWED ALL DAY!

racist?

Here's a few quotes I assembled today for a presentation... VDOT’s commissioner has recently said that Hampton Roads will not receive any State funds for road projects for at least 6 years (WTKR- Nov 20, 2009).Even though “the state is proposing an overall increase of about 3 percent in the fiscal year 2010 budget for road construction.” (pilotonline.com). “HamptonRoads is the only area in the state that would have a reduction…Northern Virginia would see a 5 percent boost in funding.” “In addition, the region would get no interstate funds in 2011…In that same year, Northern Virginia would get $225 million, or 93.2 percent of the state's interstate money.”

maybe its best that the retail/residential component is not being built, I mean who would want to live/shop above a bunch of buses? Maybe if they were electric instead of diesel!!!!!!! Also Monticello isn't the most pedestrian friendly, I'm afraid the only way retail would work there is to have a nice big surface lot. So for now I'm happy with a huge centralized HRT with 3 pedestrian bridges. I wonder if any of these bridges will cross Monticello? I really can't wait to be in 2012, everything in HR will be so much better!

It will be even better when the city actually builds the pedestrian walkways/trails through the marsh.

So sick!!! check this out... http://www.ridethetide.com/photo_gallery/summer2009.shtml Go to the section "construction of the light rail vehicles" to see how the trains actually were placed on the track!!! Its really cool

It frustrates me how parts of the light rail haven't even broken ground yet...like Bute st between Boush and Monticello!!!! Get that thing underway already!!! I walked part of the line yesterday around the freemason area. Goosebumps!

I'm convinced that if the third anchor was built with either a condensed Target (minus the grocery section), or a best buy...the demand for both retail AND residential would increase a ton!!!! The Norfolk planning dept should make this a priority. Also, Granby st needs an "urban outfitters" really bad. This, coupled with the new TCC investments, would poise downtown for a wave of retail investment along with a new demographic of urban dwellers who demand more pedestrian services, other than a mall!!! Also, I could really envision an Ikea arriving somewhere downtown, although I feel that the third anchor lot might not be best. Maybe an abandoned warehouse around the monticello/ghent area!!! I really hope light rail makes these visions come to life!

Here's the problem with calling us "Hampton Roads," officially or unofficially...no city in our metro is actually named Hampton Roads! The term is actually completely arbiturary and is no different then calling Raleigh "The Triangle." If the seven cities choose to actually politically consolidate, then sure we could be called "Hampton Roads" or whatever. But we are trying to adopt a naming system that no metro area in the world uses....might as well call us "the big apple" and then try to convince the world that this is our real name. It makes no sense, not for any metro region in the world, so definitely not for Norfolk/Va Beach. In my opinion, Norfolk needs to annex Portsmouth and then call us the Greater Norfolk region. It makes sense historically and economically. Better yet, let Norfolk annex the whole metro and call us the 7 boroughs with the seven mayors becoming the city council. But lets get real, that will never happen unless the federal government someday creates legislation that routes all new federal funding for infrastructure to metros which show political efforts that work to counter sprawl and political fragmentation. Maybe thats just a dream....or the solution.

I haven't seen the exact locations you are referring to, but I think that is a terrible idea. We will end up with some more suburban Sifen projects if the city doesn't put down the hammer. The owner of the mall is obviously loosing money and he's being taxed out the waazoo for all his prime land right next to town center (which is underutilized). However that land does not need to be built in disregard to the new Pembroke plan. Quite simply the mall needs to be taxed out of business unless the owner can either make money with what he's got, or invest in a few upgrades to the vacant parking lots surrounding him in order to build, or sell off, in accordance with the Pembroke plan. This would include adding the street grid infrastructure to whatever he's trying to sell off. In order for any of this work the city needs to completely commit to the Pembroke plan, this means start investing in the infrastructure needed in order to provide retail/office developers with the the clean slate to fill in the private sector holes with what the city wants.

My hope is that it will be a simultaneous effort! Given the nature of the two spurs: one going to the base, and the other to the beach where base workers live. I think the two spurs could collectively bargain for the greatest in new starts money. Plus the group effort would prove to be a regional effort and could navigate around any referendum debate. I mean the EIS is a group effort, which I was surprised at first to hear.

How long is the road construction expected to take? I'm really excited for this new cut-thru

I don't know if anyone has been following this...but I passed a brand new 2 story Dunkin Donuts on Hampton Blvd by ODU and Lamberts Point. I remember hearing about it a long time ago, but I missed all the construction and BOOM, I see a fresh Dunkin! I think its so awesome what ODU is doing to the dead zone between 41st and 21st. The District Dorms, various restaurants, new housing. I can't wait for ODU to be safe one day!

The new library will do great things for the design of the campus. It will reduce the setbacks on the front, back and side and bring a more urban form to the campus. Also it will prepare the enormous asphalt parking lot for closure and transformation...which I haven't heard officially, but one day it will happen. The question is, what will they do with the site? I would like to see a mid rise, mixed-use 24-hour complex with student housing above and lecture halls & specialized dining below. That's the element that ODU is missing, it isn't truly a 24-hour campus. The dorms are, but the campus is not. Students need to be living less than 100 feet from the library (much like VCU), which would make the campus livable and student friendly. Oh, and the internal campus needs to be a car-free area!!!!!! I think this is the direction ODU is going, but it may take 10 more years to get there. I'm still amazed at how far ODU has come in the last 10 years! -the village, Ted constant convocation, foreman field, the quad, new bookstore, innovation research park, 4 new parking garages, new marriott hotel, new dental hygiene building, new fitness center complex, new tennis complex, new practice football field, lamberts point golf course, new soccer field, new horticulture/greenhouse, new physics addition, wrestling center, etc!!

The demand is definitely there. Each year ODU gets more applicants than the year before. Even when the Quad buildings were opening up, we had to be put on long waiting list and apply a year in advance, and no promises were ever made, and still some had to stay in hotels for while. The new dorms have all had a snowball effect on the desirability to live on campus. And each new dorm is being built nicer than the next. I remember the village almost never had a vacancy, and they were double and tripling students in the quad. I really like the density with the district, looks like its going to be 5 stories (I didn't check with the rendering yet). Also they will have a pool!!!!!!

I've always found it interesting how unrecognized Hampton Roads is. (which is the term I hate...and I feel is the reason why we are so unrecognized). There are so many American cities which are more recognized nationally than we are, and with less population!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here are a few: New Orleans, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Providence, Tucson,Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Charleston, Syracuse, Rochester, Topeka, Tallahassee, Richmond,Raleigh, Memphis, Little Rock, Honolulu, Hartford, Columbia, Charlotte,Buffalo, Baton Rouge, Austin, Albuquerque, Albany, Montgomery, Birmingham,Boise, Des Moines, El Paso, Greensboro, Hartford, New Haven, Milwaukee. Why these places are recognized may be for many reasons; but one reason is that they have not been given arbitrary nicknames to stand-in as their placemark...Like Hampton Roads!!!! What the dump! It makes no sense. http://www.census.gov/compendia/smadb/TableC-01.pdf

I was able to use it to get from Ghent to Leigh Hospital, but I've since moved to Richmond mon-thur for VCU's MURP Program. But when I reture I'll live on the line. Also a good friend of mine will use it, she lives 1 block from the ballantine station and works at MacArthur and YmCA downtown. She's real excited.

Let me say a few things. I spoke with a comprehensive city planner in the 757 last spring (she was also my urban planning instructor)... in our private conversation she said something I already knew but found surprising to hear from a city planner, she said "light rail opposition in VB isn't about taxes, its about race" (and no she is not black in case anyone is wondering). I have to say that I completely understand the sediment, and the fear of folks making that statement as well. But from my experience everyone one in VB who I have engaged in conversation with who opposes light rail has either mentioned poor blacks or simply "poor people who can't drive" coming into the city and bringing down real estate values. I attribute this to a much older racist sediment. I agree with VArider in the fact that every young person I have talked with seems to support light rail, also everyone who's from major metro regions, and most of my instructors in college. There are lots of socio-demographic generalizations we can make about the different types of people who support or oppose light rail. But if you put all that aside, let me remind folks of recent Bills TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21 century) and SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users). TEA-21 The transportation equity act requires that seven planning factors be included in regional transportation plans: the plans must: 1.support the economic vitality of the metropolitan planning area;, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity and efficiency 2.increase the safety and security for the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users 3.increase the accessibility and mobility options available to people and for freight 4.protect and enhance the environment promote energy conservation and improve the quality of life, 5.enhance the integration of connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight, 6.promote efficient system management and operation, 7.emphasize the efficient preservation of existing transportation system. SAFETEA-LU The bill was the most important transportation-spending initiative of its time in the United States. Though often touted as a "highway bill", it was also the primary source of funding for other modes of surface transportation, including transit. Notably, the bill included funding for the New Starts program, which among other things helped to fund most of the new rail transit systems that opened in the United States during this time period, as well as extensions to existing systems. I mention these bills because they remind us of various goals which are best achieved from compact, efficient Transit infrastructure...which the nation has clearly passed legislation to support in recent decades. This is something a little more solid to work with than various opinions by VB citizens, which may in fact be subject to bias or a lack of expertise or foresight.

This may have been mentioned...but I keep hearing about the interstate route as a big possibility in order to easily provide a spur to the airport. I don't know if you guys/gals have noticed but there is already an abandoned Norfolk Southern line which goes from Tidewater drive area (where the current Lamberts point coal trains pass) all the way to the airport and a major industrial park in VA Beach and to the Little Creek base. This line cuts through plenty of moderately dense neighborhoods, not to mention that once the line reaches Tidewater Drive it can merge with our current route to downtown about a half mile south (essentially providing a route from the airport directly to Harbor park/downtown. It would be almost perfectly straight. I want to go into a little more detail with this if you guys can dig it. Once the line hits the Tidewater Drive/Lamberts Point coal line intersection, the line can either merge with downtown, or imagine getting off at that stop and transferring to what I will refer to as "the loop." The Loop would be a route that would follow the Lamberts point coal line cutting through Huntersville Park, over Church st and Monticello and would parallel 21st and Ghent, (here would be a very popular 21st retail district/ghent station. Eventually this loop would connect to the proposed Navel Base line either traveling down Hampton or Colley. This loop would be much like how London's Underground is modeled. Relatively the same size around too. If I can get even more specific...London's tube does have a "yellow line" which is dedicated to only running in the loop (in a circle). But on the same track you would have trains dedicated to getting from point crosstown (example: a Navel base bound train coming from VA beach. You would know as soon as the train approaches at "Rosemont" that you were on a Navel base (NOB) bound train, it wouldn't matter if you were only going to town center, you'd get on whichever train arrived first, but if you were going to Downtown/Harbor park you could get on and ride til Brambleton/Tidewater drive area where it splits, or you could wait for a Harbor Park/Downtown bound train. Or really you could get on either train, cause once the harbor park/downtown bound train gets to EVMS, it would still go up Hampton and terminate at the Navel Base (essentially taking the inside loop). I wish I could just draw this all and post it. This plan seems like the best way to construct the minimal amount of infrastructure and provide the max amount of options. Please follow this up look on a map with tracks displayed. Also half of what I'm describing would ride on already established right of ways! This option allows the possibility of express routes during rush hour, a "loop" routes for travel within the city, and a direct airport to CBD route, which is the preferred destination for many arriving in the airport (especially if they are transferring to commuter rail or High Speed Rail. This whole plan would truly be 21st century and geared towards long-term goals. Street cars and other various routes could be added later, but this would essentially be the backbone.

Hey man, me and B.REED went over there to look at this graffiti spot we call gnarnia...we walked the tracts next to the plant and it looked epically folded up...like an old New England factory town. It was all overcast and crazy stark. Those tracks lead to the Lamberts' Point coal terminus and is still used everyday...at least that's still working! peace man, ill holla next time im in town.

Taken from the 201 twentyone garage

I work with a guy who's in Tidewater Gardens everyday visiting his son and his baby's mother. In his opinion: "tear it all down and build condos" I was surprised to see such lack of empathy, but in his mind the welfare folks are simply going to school the city if they allocate living arrangements for them in SPQ. Now, I can see his frustration...he says all he sees is drugs and violence. But the demographic can be split up into segments. There's a nonprofit organization (For Kids) which remodeled an old tenament on 38th street in order to reunite poor mothers with their children in foster care. This is one demographic which is currently served by welfare. Their are others like elderly folks, single working mothers, blue-collar night workers, students, and yes drug dealers and killers. The best thing to do in my mind... is to decentralize the whole project. Take the demographics which have been good/obedient and allow them housing vouchers in the new SPQ. The others will be spread throughout the city. If they have prior convictions set them up in poorer neighborhoods as far away from schools as possible...b/c anywhere else would be political suicide. But they must be scattered, and most importantly create a zero tolerance policy, if they are convicted again they will be cut off completely and left to fend for themselves. I'm talking about criminals here, not the elderly or hard working public housing folks. They should not be treated the same or with special care. In other words, if they are abusing the system...they should see a day coming where the benefits will be ending. Feel free to call me an insensitive freak, but I don't think this is too extreme or unreasonable.

I kinda wish that all this had happened 10 years ago...light rail back in 99, road/infrastructure improvements, land acquisition, Pembroke comp plan. But instead we react and lose precious time!

"For ye have the poor with you always..." Jesus said that. Mark 14:7