VBIllini13

I agree with him. The market should dictate what occupies storefronts. The selden arcade is prime real estate supported by the city. I believe that if a time comes when retail that can actually benefit the economy wants to move into the arcade, then an art gallery shouldn't stand in their way.

Mayor Sessoms is only one man on Virginia Beach's city council.

We're getting into this discussion again? Oh boy, I'm staying out of this one.

I agree. Especially on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, nobody would go that way. You can't impose tolls this high on the only way of moving in and out of the region by land. There needs to be alternate (RAIL) ways of moving in and out of the region in place before tolls upward of $3 can be put in place.

Thanks for that, but I looked at your second link and scrolled down to flight options and it's just a code share. All of the flights going to Norfolk on that link are coming from New York via US Airways.

I was at the airport today when I saw a Ryan Air jet parked at the international arrivals terminal. I did a little research and found it's a budget Irish airline but the website didn't say anything about a flight to norfolk. Does anybody know anything about this?

I really hope this plan comes to fruition! http://hamptonroads.com/2010/11/transit-plan-envisions-mix-ferries-rail-buses

I was referring to them being open late... it's also good if you want something fast and don't have a car. You can't go wrong with an Italian club or vito.

Blasphemy! Speaking from the perspective of a college student, Jimmy Johns is great and freaky fast and definitely good to eat when there's nothing else open/good.

The number one argument against light rail is not race nor crime. It's about taxes, spending, and the "can we afford it?" mentality. Believe me, if it were a private company building this thing, there wouldn't be anywhere near as much uproar over light rail because government spending and taxation would be involved, or it would be significantly less. I remember a friend telling me why he is against light rail. He said that if the city had enough money and no taxes had to be raised (or services cut, for that matter), we can build a million light rails for all he cares, and this is coming from one of the most conservative tea partiers I personally know. I am for light rail for its long term economic benefits to the city and region, those who are against it are only looking in the short term. Of course there are some radical popinjays who are against it because of race, but, like I said before, this is the minority opinion.

The Constitution Drive bridge has been completed and is now open to pedestrian and bicyclists. The bridge will be open to cars soon.

We are NOT going through this again...

Don't know if y'all have seen this yet, but I stumbled upon this while on norfolk.gov. It's just an informational meeting but I think it will be helpful in seeing where the state is now at trying to get higher-speed rail to the region. http://www.norfolkgrowsbusiness.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=archive&task=view&mailid=33&key=9d148e633e72284ce0718b269684359b%E2%8A%82=3-d558dd6af681a4bfb744c43c96f60d9c&Itemid=54

Buffalo Wild Wings is awesome! I can't speak for their burgers or bbq, but their wings (traditional and boneless) are fantastic! That said, I'd like to see a Wild Wing Cafe as well, the one out in Chesapeake is too far away.

In the order your comments were received: 1. I don't even know when Virginia Beach had railbus service. My guess is that it was decades ago and therefore plays no role in the argument for or against light rail now. Just because residents of Virginia Beach may or may not have been racially motivated a long time ago doesn't mean they still are. 2. Even if the opposition is all-White, so what? That does not make the group racist. I guarantee you that if you ask the leadership and say that you're Asian, Hispanic, Black, etc. that they would be more than happy to have your support. Saying a group is racist because they are mostly or all-White is prejudiced in and of itself. That is how frivolous rumors about the Tea Party got started (but they actually have a strong minority faction within their group, but that's a different argument). 3. Wally Erb may or may not be racist, I don't know. But IF he is, he does not represent the views of the entire city of Virginia Beach, nor the entire voice of the opposition, he just might be one of those outliers who is against LRT for racial reasons. But I don't know Erb, and saying one man is racist does not mean that even a significant percentage of the opposition is. Now I am for light rail 100%, but it really makes me mad when such comments are made and truly good-hearted fiscal conservatives are labelled as something they're not. Playing the race card isn't going to get light rail any more votes.

I agree with you that there are some people, but that is a very small, highly uneducated proportion of the opposition. Trains stopping in bad neighborhoods is a valid claim to be against light rail, but who are people living in other areas to deny those residents access to public transportation and the opportunity to make their neighborhood a better place as a result of light rail?

Oh come on Harry, wise up. Why does everything have to be about race. This argument is in no way racially motivated and the more people like you who say that people against this are racist are truly killing the meaning of the word racist. Racism is a terrible thing and it can't be thrown around like it is some mundane everyday word. This is not a racially-motivated argument. 99% of naysayers are against it because of the high cost of construction and labor being funded directly from the taxpayer. While I'm not a huge fan of taxes, I'm smart enough to realize the economic benefits of light rail greatly exceed the cost and investment. Recap: stop calling naysayers racist and save that argument for people who truly are.

Haha it's about time they started doing work on that! I can only hope that they're better (and faster for that matter) than the location in Virginia Beach.

I'm sorry were you talking to me? I think you may have not looked at the quote I was responding to. I was simply responding to varider's comment: "I hope Sessoms & Co. have enough backbone to shove LR down the throats of the naysayers," and how that isn't the way it works in this country.

I'm very certain that if this man chooses to sue HRT, he will lose. But I'm sure no lawsuit will be filed. Some compensation will be provided for the small parcel of land that HRT built the piling on and an encroachment will be granted or eminent domain will be used. I don't think anything too big will come out of this.

Yes, it was Kaine's budget, good job figuring that one out! When you draw up a budget, you're not planning out something so if everything works as planned you have a surplus/deficit, you plan so neither occurs. If you have a deficit you spent more than you earned (in income). If you have a surplus you earned more than you spent. The reason Governor McDonnell is credited with this surplus is because he cut unnecessary spending after taking office. When Kaine left office, we were on track to have a deficit and the "genius" tried to offset this deficit by proposing such ingenious (sarcasm) programs as closing rest stops. McDonnell attracted new businesses (not necessarily contributing to this surplus) through tax credits. This surplus was achieved through fiscal responsibility and corporations and individuals actually paying their taxes. This surplus was achieved through using principles of the private sector and good management of resources. To be honest though, much of the surplus can be attributed to corporations and individuals simply paying their taxes. This governor was able to achieve something our last governor couldn't: a surplus without a tax increase. This governor has worked with both parties to close the shortfall. However, this budget issue has very little to do with planning and shouldn't be even on the off-topic page.

They wouldn't have to go extinct, because that will never happen. They would, however, have to become useless and inefficient in urban areas.

Of course the government is going to pay for it. For a private firm to operate light rail would be a huge money-loser. I'm just saying I hope one day (in a perfect world today) light rail will become popular and used enough so that different firms will be able to compete like different streetcar companies (privately owned) once did in the earlier part of the 20th century. But to answer your question where the money would have come from: typically private firms have capital and money that they get through producing goods or services and they'd spend it as an investment in light rail (In this case). Example: Dominion Virginia Power decides that with its profits, it wants to build and then operate a light rail system. All it would need to do would be go through the design review, planning commission, city council, and civic league processes and acquire the rights-of-way. Hopefully one day public transportation will return to being an activity of the free market, but for now I am, indeed, thankful to have this being built.

I agree with you on those two statements right there. I really wish a private company had done this rather than this be a completely government-run project. Unfortunately, mass-transit is a big money-loser and there's no market for it. Since public transit is a necessity, however, it is the government's responsibility to ensure mobility throughout the city. If only there were private LRT operators like there were in the early 20th century. They'd be much more efficient. Guaranteed.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/07/two-more-lightrail-crossings-need-be-rebuilt Hope you guys like negative comments. There are over 100 comments on this article already!