VAGATOR

A few points.... -Tolls are coming....its the only tax the state would be willing to raise that would allow these super projects in Hampton Roads and NOVA to be built -You can toll the bridge tunnel, just require people to have EZ Passes, not very complicated, especially in the year 2006 -The Third Tunnel and not an enlarged HRBT will be built. As the Pinners Point project has showed, expanding the Port of Hampton Roads into the largest on the East Coast is the a major goal for the state. -The Third Tunnel is the best option to relieving if done right. That means I-64 has to be enlarged to 4 lanes(one HOV) to Williamsburg and 3 lanes to Richmond, and second midtown tunnel and an expanded 158 out of Suffolk to I-95 Richmond. This would allow Suffolk, Cheaspeake, and lower Virginia Beach to avoid 1-64 all together, thus moving a lot of traffic of that road. -NOVA's population has probably doubled in the last 15 years. Clearly the state wasn't ready or expected that occurance to happen. When that kind of growth happen, traffic is going to be terrible. Personally, I think the roads up here in pretty good shape, just too many damn cars.

I'm glad Washington airports authority and Dulles is spearheading effort to get rail out to Dulles. If we relied on the Government to build it, we all could be dead before we see a single train out there.

I've been to Baxters a couple times this Christmas while visiting family, nice place, a lot big tvs, and nice pool tables. Drinks are a little expensive for Norfolk, but overall nad good enviroment.

Warner's proposal makes it quite clear that the third crossing and not an extended HRBT will be built

The main problems with major league sports in Hampton Roads is lack of corporate support and traffic. To make it work financially you need the support of Richmond's business community, and traffic is so bad coming down I-64 into downtown Norfolk, it wouldn't work at the present moment.

All you can say is damn. The NRHA was pretty much the devil. Those open spaces, especially around the Memorial were pretty much 30 year parking lots until the mall was built. Sad, and Norfolk wasn't alone.

The Third Crossing and the 2nd midtown tunnel is going to happen because of all of the port expansion, but I hope I am alive to see it!

Kidda off topic, but I just rode the finished Pinner's Point project a couple weeks ago. Very nice and smooth. I wish Norfolk, Portsmouth and the state would get together, slap a dollar or two toll on the tunnels so we could get a second midtown tunnel.

In my limited experience, I have found out unless you book a ticket at least a month ahead, if you are trying to fly back to Washington on the weekend, no matter the airport, it will cost you dearly unless you catch the red eye. Since I'm from Norfolk, and I refuse to catch the redeye, it is a lot cheaper to fly out of Norfolk International.

It amazing that I have to fly out of Norfolk to go to the greatest party in college football, Florida vs Georgia in Jacksonville, because here in Washington they want 400 bucks for any non red eye flights on the weekend. Amazing how things work out.

With all the oil we pump out of Alaska, especially with the new drilling about to happen, honestly, this is just a drop in the bucket.

Does anybody else find it odd when Frank Batten wants build a tower in downtown Norfolk, within 6 months, they are already laying the foundation. yet this Hilton project with Robert Johnson has been lagging for years? This tower maybe built, I'm not sure, but I can bet you the Norfolk good ole boys(Fraim, Moss, Decker, Wright) will be dictating this project, not Robert Johnson. Some things never change.

Actually, The City of Suffolk has tried to limited most of its growth to the Northern Part of the city which is very close to Portsmouth and Western Branch, redevelop their downtown and limit sprawl in the Southern parts.

Jump ship to NC, ha ha ha. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Hampton Roads region would play third fiddle in N.C. just like it does in Virginia. Sure Richmond deserves some of the blame for the traffic problems through out the state, mainly due the total incompetence of VDOT and lack vision regarding seeing potential problems in the early 90s, especially in Hampton Roads, but let

Could you imagine ODU playing in an another downtown arena maybe a third full every night??? ODU did what was best for herself, build a 8,000 seat on campus arena which has spearhead development across Hampton Blvd. With the new Sprint Center and Charlotte Arena costing around 250 million, an estimate of 230 million by the city is very reasonable. Norfolk was real unlucky with the Hornets, since the state decided give the team 10 million dollars a year in order to move.

A pro team seems more and more like a pipe dream from Hampton Roads. No pro team would accept playing in Scope for any amount of time. NORFOLK

Both Airports in Norfolk and Newport News are doing too well to even think about building an airport out in Isle of Wright.

The solution for the traffic problems in NOVA and Hampton Roads is a simple case of picking your poison, an increase in sales tax or toll roads. Personally, I see all the new projects in the near future (second midtown tunnel, Greenbelt, Third Crossing, 460 improvements) will be toll roads.

I find that statistic very hard to believe. Sorry, but Norfolk or Hampton Roads doesn

The main problem downtown Suffolk has is that the city's richest and fastest growing region, Northern Suffolk, is almost closer to downtown Norfolk than downtown Suffolk. I wish them luck with their plans.

Until the late 60's, Politics in Virginia was dominated by the rural elements in state government. That lead to a lot of neglect regarding the cities of Virginia. What made people upset is that during the high flying 80's, it seems that Richmond got a majority of the road projects when you could clearly see problems on the horizon for the fast growing regions in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. That leads to the situation today, a growing traffic crisis in NOVA and Hampton Roads(who can at the least afford it due to a weak job market.) VDOT is broke and there are no solutions being offered at the moment, which will probably end up on tolls. Honestly, if you have driven on the older highways in Richmond i.e. 295 and 95, they aren't in that good of shape.

Richmond, head of state government, which means numerous high paying jobs, Headquarters for a few 100 law firms and Federal District Court, Federal Reserve, numerous Fortune 500 companies. My parents currently live in Northern Suffolk, but I lived in Norfolk for 10 years. I am 5 hours short from graduating from the University of Florida in history. Next fall, I will probably take a job in DC at a lobbying firm.

Since ODU built a smaller up to date arena, I think the Scope should be blown up.

Personally, the most fright thing about the transportation needs of this region, the Greenbelt, Third Crossing, Second Midtown Tunnel, 460 improvement, widening of I-64 in from Newport News to Richmond, these projects are not luxuries but absolutely essential for the growth of this area and they will cost billions.

Personally, I don