Norfolk Light Rail and Transit

[Greekboy80]

Extension to the navy base would be HUGE! I know so many people who hate driving onto the base because of traffic and so many of those same people get stuck going down hampton blvd.

Yeah that would be big...It goes right along with that article the other day in the pilot about how bad hampton blvd has gotten. This would help out alot!

[lil-bear]

I don't think that it would be a good idea to run LR down Hampton Blvd. in Ghent.

LR turning onto Colley would be better. Then going onto Hampton Blvd. somewhere near

ODU and then all the way to the Naval Base.

[rusthebuss]

If they could get the maglev to work down there that would be great!

[urbanfan]

I don't think that it would be a good idea to run LR down Hampton Blvd. in Ghent.

LR turning onto Colley would be better. Then going onto Hampton Blvd. somewhere near

ODU and then all the way to the Naval Base.

Yeah right, No one in ghent would live with that. I can guaruntee that that would be shot down faster than casinos at the strip. Hampton blvd. is wider and set up much better for light rail. Not to mention that it's only a block, less than 1/8th mile from hampton blvd. to colley so there isn't much justification to run it up colley.

[lil-bear]

Yeah right, No one in ghent would live with that. I can guaruntee that that would be shot down faster than casinos at the strip. Hampton blvd. is wider and set up much better for light rail. Not to mention that it's only a block, less than 1/8th mile from hampton blvd. to colley so there isn't much justification to run it up colley.

There is plenty of justification for LR to run down Colley.

1. Colley Ave. in Ghent is a business district (uh, hello! destination)

2. Hampton Blvd. is 4 lanes (2 in each direction) so is

Colley Ave. ( 1 in each direction with on street

parking in each direction.)

3. The railroad underpass on Colley has a greater height

clearance than the underpass on Hampton Blvd.

4. Vehicular traffic on Hampton is far worse than on Colley. Eliminating half the lanes on Hampton would

cause adverse consequences to traffic flow.

Yep Plenty of justification!

[urbanfan]

There is plenty of justification for LR to run down Colley.

1. Colley Ave. in Ghent is a business district (uh, hello! destination)

2. Hampton Blvd. is 4 lanes (2 in each direction) so is

Colley Ave. ( 1 in each direction with on street

parking in each direction.)

3. The railroad underpass on Colley has a greater height

clearance than the underpass on Hampton Blvd.

4. Vehicular traffic on Hampton is far worse than on Colley. Eliminating half the lanes on Hampton would

cause adverse consequences to traffic flow.

Yep Plenty of justification!

Yes but what you are forgetting is that it is much more of a residential street. Not to mention that area residents would have nothing to do with it tearing up there quaint, quiet little neighborhood.

[vtfan18]

If they could get the maglev to work down there that would be great!

ODU Engineers = Non-operational Maglev

Sorry...just had to take my cheap shot! HAHAHA....

[metalman]

No... American Maglev company = Non-operation Maglev

ODU Engineers = Picking American Maglev off of the floor and fixing there mistakes and practically reinventing the damn thing = Awesome job for ODU's engineers.

[urbanlife]

now if ODU could get an architecture department.

[vdogg]

Corporation chosen for light rail final design

Sept. 18, 2006--URS Corporation (NYSE: URS) today announced that the Company, under a subcontract with Parsons Brinckerhoff, will provide final design services to the Hampton Roads Transit Authority for the Norfolk light rail transit project in Norfolk, Virginia. The contract includes a three-year base period and an additional two-year option period. The five-year contract has a maximum value of $10 million to URS.

As part of the project, URS will provide final design services for a 7.4-mile light rail line in the City of Norfolk, followed by engineering support services for the fabrication and installation of the rail system and construction inspection services. In addition, URS may perform corridor extension and environmental impact studies and preliminary engineering design for potential future extensions of the rail line to additional locations within the Hampton Roads Transit Authority's service district.

[monsoon]

This is bad news for Norfolk's light rail project then. It should be noted that Charlotte's Light Rail project is $38M over budget, a year late, now being subjected to a congressional review and the city is planning to sue Parsons for the damages.

[vaceltic]

This isn't bad news, its just news. You can't replicate the variables involved in the construction of Charlotte's light rail and compare it to Norfolk's. Being a global company, URS wouldn't be where it is with poor services. As long as communication is kept open between the City and URS, the services should be completed smoothly and correctly.

[vdogg]

This isn't bad news, its just news. You can't replicate the variables involved in the construction of Charlotte's light rail and compare it to Norfolk's. Being a global company, URS wouldn't be where it is with poor services. As long as communication is kept open between the City and URS, the services should be completed smoothly and correctly.

URS is the primary contractor where I work. Being indirectly employed by them I can tell you that they do an outstanding job at least as far as traffic managemnt systems are concerned. It seems as though Parsons is the one to worry about, but as this reads URS will be taking the lead on this not them so I don't think we have too much to worry about.

[Padman]

Around here, these contractors do very good work. The real problem is going to be keeping support strong for a starter system that doesn't capture enough ridership to justify costs. This is a pretty good example of the philosophical dilemma for the next generation: how can you reconcile the costs of technology in meeting basic human needs, such as transportation and health care? Not building new roads and rail systems is not the answer. The free market system has big cracks in the foundation.

[lammius]

Working for a competitor, anything that can throw mud on PB's face makes me happy

Edited November 25, 2006 by lammius

[vdogg]

Working for a competitor, anything that can throw mud on PB's face makes me happy

A little off-topic but you need to update your Burj Dubai tag. I think they're up to 86 now.

[lammius]

Believe me, as soon as I'm able to book another flight over there, I'll be glad to check it out again and give a new update!

But in the mean time, I guess it is time I change my sig.

[urbanfan]

This is bad news for Norfolk's light rail project then. It should be noted that Charlotte's Light Rail project is $38M over budget, a year late, now being subjected to a congressional review and the city is planning to sue Parsons for the damages.

Charlotte's system is quite different from ours and much more complex. Charlotte has most of the system elevated through downtown and at major street crossings. However, our system is bare bones. At grade crossing except at NSU. A rail corridor that is completely empty. The only concern of budget problems could be at the water crossing just before military highway with the environmental concerns in that area.

[vdogg]

Kaine proposes $500 million for HR projects including Light Rail

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine proposed funding some of Hampton Roads' most important transportation projects - with millions for Norfolk's planned light rail, the relocation of freight rail lines along the Western Freeway and improvements to the Interstate 64/264 interchange.

[vdogg]

Also:

Norfolk wants better oversight of Light Rail

Now that a starter light rail line is just one step away from becoming a reality, city leaders are asking hard questions and want to get more involved in its development.

After years of planning and many rounds of federal approvals, transportation officials are on schedule to sign a contract with the federal government in mid-2007 to build the $232.1 million project.

[NSUREDD]

now if ODU could get an architecture department.

Why would you duplicate a Architecture Program at ODU when there is one at Hampton University? If you can not afford Hampton there are two State schools that have programs Va.Tech and UVA. Now if ODU gets a Architecture Engineering that's different.

[rusthebuss]

Why would you duplicate a Architecture Program at ODU when there is one at Hampton University? If you can not afford Hampton there are two State schools that have programs Va.Tech and UVA. Now if ODU gets a Architecture Engineering that's different.

Why does it matter if ODU gets a architecture program cause Hampton has one? Why limit ODU? I would love to see ODU run with this and make a name for itself for engineering and architecture.

[vdogg]

I've posted 2 back to back articles about light rail but the only thing people want to talk about is ODU getting an architecture program. Hmm....

[lil-bear]

Makes one wonder!

I can understand the city being concerned about cost overuns!

[NSUREDD]

Why does it matter if ODU gets a architecture program cause Hampton has one? Why limit ODU? I would love to see ODU run with this and make a name for itself for engineering and architecture.

Because they are so close together. Why do they need a Architecture program? Is it that many architecture students in Virginia that UVA, Hampton and Va.Tech are not able to fill the need?

As for light rail, do you think that the ridership will be at the numbers they predict?