atp4984

I think Waterside would have been and could be more successful in its current or similar incarnation with a private business managing it. I think it failed because it wasn't run by professionals, not because there's no demand for food, drink, and entertainment with a nice view.

Also, I absolutely love getting into with people on that site. There's something about the "I-have-an-opinion-so-I'm-an-authority/expert-on-the-matter, -oh, -and-here's-a-made-up-statistic-" kinda people that absolutely set me off.

Listen, I agree with many of your points, but I'd like to refute one thing. I'm not trying to berate you, I'd just like to make it more well known. People use the "18th Century technology" line a lot to bash transit. I mean, we tore it out once, why rebuild it? right? Do you know why most streetcar systems were torn out mid-twentieth century? Because car companies bought the transit companies, liquidated them, destroyed the infrastructure, and burned the streetcars. The idea was that it's kind of hard to get around when there's no alternative to owning a car.

I stand corrected. It's been a while.

The first line will fail miserably. However, the extensions will save it and position the region for something significantly better in terms of economic and population growth. Blame Meyera Oberndorf for the delay.

I just did my best to slay wally erb in the comments section of the VB referendum story. I'd suggest you guys try to do the same. http://hamptonroads.com/2010/07/majority-va-beach-council-favor-referendum-light-rail#comment-948649

Look back at the graphic I posted two pages ago. Instead of Hampton Blvd, there should be an extension from SPQ to Ward's Corner via Church St/Granby St. An extension through Ghent to ODU would be feasible along the north side of the Norfolk Southern right-of-way. The ODU station would be on Powhatan, not on Hampton Blvd. There just isn't enough room to accommodate light-rail on Hampton Blvd, and no politician would survive its construction.

I get a huge rise out of mudslinging with those morons.

Don't let the tall buildings fool you, it's not that big. I stumble around it all every weekend. Give it fifteen more years. With SPQ and Fort Norfolk, downtown Norfolk will have a lot going for it.

Hampton Roads is fairly similar to the Denver Metro area. LoDo (Downtown Denver) is about twice as big and tall as downtown Norfolk, and there are several other nodes around it - The Denver Tech Center to the south, Boulder to the Northwest, etc. They are planning to/already have connected most of these nodes with transit in one form or another, and it has decent ridership. Hampton Roads after one more economic boom will probably be the size that the Denver area is today.

Here's the regional concept. It assumes a few things: - Some economic catalyst (i.e. real high speed rail between DC, Richmond, and Norfolk) - VB urbanizing auto-oriented commercial property along the main light-rail line and Va Beach Blvd - Norfolk State getting it together and growing significantly. -Increased demand/density in the Industrial Park due to the Craney Island Port Expansion. One urban corridor, versus two competing urban cores is the only way Hampton Roads will become a world-class region. The rest of my study shows light rail alignments and station configurations, Military Circle redevelopment, and the feasibility of a high speed rail line and terminal where Military Circle is now. I'm aware that the higher-speed rail station is planned for Harbor Park, but I believe by the time High Speed rail in Hampton Roads becomes a reality, this would be more beneficial, both to Norfolk and Hampton Roads in general.

That map is a disaster. I've been working on a number of extension alternatives for my Senior Planning Project. Here are the extensions I recommend: - Va Beach Extension along NS R-O-W - North from 264 at Military Hwy to Robin Hood Rd. Small two-way single track segment to airport terminal. Follow I-64 along West/South easement to Tidewater Dr. Follow NS R-O-W to Ward's Corner then to the Base. - North from SPQ along Church Street. Fork at Granby St. Follow NS R-O-W to ODU/Powhatan Ave through Ghent. Follow Granby north in median to Ward's Corner. - Improvements to HRT no. 3 and 8. - Park-and-Rides at I-64 and Granby/Tidewater/Chesapeake/Robin Hood Rd/Military Circle. There are some pretty epic regional opportunities at the intersection of Military Hwy and Va Beach Blvd, roughly 700 acres of redevelopment possibilities centered around transit and walkability. BTW, an extension along Hampton Blvd is absolutely impossible, and following NS R-O-W's for their entirety through the city ignores some opportunities to strengthen some areas through TOD. Church St/Granby St is the way to go for the west side of Norfolk. Ignore the High Speed Rail going to Military Circle, that's for another discussion another day.

On a side note, reading the comments section on any LR story on pilotonline literally makes me dumber. Do the masses in Hampton Roads get out much?

Why they're not considering making the 460 route a 150mph line is beyond me. It's the straightest flatest 50 miles of track in the whole system. Combined with improvements to the DC/Richmond leg, a possible 2 hour commute from Norfolk to DC would be an economic game-changer.