Norfolk Light Rail and Transit

[metalman]

Ok. But my point was that it starts on that end and head to downtown running with Brambleton to nessecitate a bridge to cross over the Hague. That's all.

[levarforever]

When Kirn is torn down, it would be nice if the city built a new main library like this, on the same plot of land, with the rail station inside the building. That would be so cool. I don't know how expensive that would be though.

[levarforever]

By the way, I got that pic from this site:

http://www.geocities.com/greg_vassilakos/n...norfolk_lrt.htm

It's not an official Norfolk light rail website, but the pictorials give you a feel for what light rail will be like here, as far as routes are concerned.

[br0guy]

By the way, I got that pic from this site:

http://www.geocities.com/greg_vassilakos/n...norfolk_lrt.htm

It's not an official Norfolk light rail website, but the pictorials give you a feel for what light rail will be like here, as far as routes are concerned.

These are all old pics that can be found on HRTs website (plus a few others). I'm interested in finding a the site that has the new computer generated photos we've recently seen in Portfolio Weekly and the Pilot.

[brikkman]

The light rail vehicles are about 90 feet long and have a passenger capacity of 150 with 70 of those passengers seated. The maximum operating speeds are 55 mph on the railway corridor segment of the route and 25 mph on city streets.

If it extends to the oceanfront, wouldn't the speed need to increase as a bonous to promote ridership?

[urbanfan]

If it extends to the oceanfront, wouldn't the speed need to increase as a bonous to promote ridership?

Light rail trains do not operate much faster than that, not that they can't. The appeal is that the ride is direct, you can relax and not have to deal with traffic and it is still comparable in time to driving if you account for traffic into downtown. Also, the fact of it running every 7.5 minutes during rush hours is a big plus.

[Henry_Ryto]

It's official: HRT is looking to move it's Southside offices. I saw the paperwork at last night's UCAC meeting.

No, nothing on LRT last night.

[sugoiben]

Also, the fact of it running every 7.5 minutes during rush hours is a big plus.

I ride the DC metro everyday. They have signs on all the platforms that tell you how long till the next train is coming. During rush hour if it's anything higher than 3 or 4 minutes ppl generally look rather exasperated at that horribly long wait.

[urbanlife]

light rail trains do run faster when they are not sharing a road. Downtown Portland, they move fairly slowly through, but once they are on their own tracks they pick up speed between stops. When I use to live out in the suburbs here and rode the train, it would get up to about 50mph or so between some of the stops that were further apart. It was always nice sitting in the train watching it move faster than the cars that were creeping along the interstate.

[hroads01]

I am currently in Houston Texas on business. I made it a point to ride the Houston light rail system called the "Metro". This light rail system is similar to the one being planned for Norfolk. The light rail line in Houston is also a starter leg and the train design and track length is close to the renderings for the Norfolk Project. The light rail train in Houston runs from center city Houston to the large medical complex about 8 miles from downtown Houston. The system was clean, fast, and efficient. I hope the "Tide" will be as successful as light rail in Houston seems to be.

[br0guy]

Uh-Oh, here we go.......

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?...3&ran=97389

[cpeakesqr]

Uh-Oh, here we go.......

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?...3&ran=97389

I really don't think it will be a problem, the city could save some money and skip NSU... They have buses that come to the campus, what's the difference?

[vdogg]

You have got to be kidding me. This is a gross over reaction and a bit too little to late if you ask me. I doubt Norfolk is going to pull one on the main stops that got light rail approved this late in the game.

[burt]

You have got to be kidding me. This is a gross over reaction and a bit too little to late if you ask me. I doubt Norfolk is going to pull one on the main stops that got light rail approved this late in the game.

It's hard to imagine that someone wishing to do harm at NSU would arrive and depart by street car! If the student population agrees with the board, the city would save a lot of money. There'd be no need for a station on the campus.

[levarforever]

It's hard to imagine that someone wishing to do harm at NSU would arrive and depart by street car! If the student population agrees with the board, the city would save a lot of money. There'd be no need for a station on the campus.

Not to get off the subject too much but, I was a student at NSU for about six years and I've been back there to visit recently and from my first-hand experience I can tell you, that campus has already had serious security problems. It's rediculous to think that a light rail station would somehow influence that one way or the other. I used to see all types of tresspassers and God-knows-who, walk through that campus like it was nothing, and not just during off hours, but while classes were in full gear. From what I can see, nothing really major has changed as far as security improvements. There are security guards there, but in my opinion there aren't enough checkpoints. Sure if you are entering by automobile, you'll more than likely have to check in, but that won't account for people who can walk in all willy nilly from surrounding neighborhoods, many of which are not exactly utopias, if you know what I mean. The truth is, NSU has already had several criminal incidents over the past decade, most of them from people who weren't even connected to the school in any kind of way. There was a murder there about two years ago I think.

I'm starting to suspect there's another reason why the NSU Board of Visitors is afraid of light rail access to the campus, but at this point, I just don't understand what that could be. Personally, I don't see how such a major contributor to higher learning in Norfolk and the region, will somehow be hampered by more efficient transportation.

Edited September 1, 2007 by levarforever

[rusthebuss]

I was working there in the building across from where the murder happened. If they are that worried about it then they need to take the bridge out that crosses the interstate cause thats where alot of the holigans are coming from. They just walk right up on the campus. The people that run NSU are morons. I've watched so much money disappear out there its ridiculous. Alot of mismangement of funds and they are worried about LR? Gimmie a break.

[virginia pe]

I really don't think it will be a problem, the city could save some money and skip NSU... They have buses that come to the campus, what's the difference?

It's not quite as simple as eliminating one LR stop. According to the V-P article, NSU is also objecting to the maintenance shed adjacent to their campus. LR needs someplace to store cars that are not being used, and somewhere to maintain them. Obviously, the maintenance shed has to be adjacent to the LR line. There is not a lot of cheaply available land along the right-of-way for a maintenance shed. The strip of land designated for the maintenance shed belongs to VDOT. It was a "leftover" from the I-264 expansion of a few years ago.

If HRT or city council knuckles under to NSU's concerns, it could have a big impact.

[cpeakesqr]

It's not quite as simple as eliminating one LR stop. According to the V-P article, NSU is also objecting to the maintenance shed adjacent to their campus. LR needs someplace to store cars that are not being used, and somewhere to maintain them. Obviously, the maintenance shed has to be adjacent to the LR line. There is not a lot of cheaply available land along the right-of-way for a maintenance shed. The strip of land designated for the maintenance shed belongs to VDOT. It was a "leftover" from the I-264 expansion of a few years ago.

If HRT or city council knuckles under to NSU's concerns, it could have a big impact.

Sounds to me, NSU wants some money for security or whatever they decide to spend it on. The council doesn't blink when others bring up legitimate concerns, why would it bow to NSU's baseless ones?

[Telmnstr]

Hah, NSU. NSU entered into some agreement thing with Telcove to put in this "Supernode" for the RISE center. It was all over the Pilot. Really what it was is, Telcove just ran their network thru and was able to put up a building to hold the equipment, similiar to the ones that Verizon has... oh about everywhere.

Anyways, being a tech guy, I contacted them. Basically all they could do is resell the Telcove service, just like telcove does or something. There was really no benefit to it, other than some press. The guy I talked to from NSU, after *finally* getting someone on the phone, had roughly zero idea about what they had, what it was, what they were offering with it, what they were doing, etc.

Pretty sad.

And the RISE center name sounds like the projects. RISE... as in, something is broken and deficient and we are trying to raise the standards or some such.

[brikkman]

I'm not surpised this has come out, I'm only shock in how they used VT as a reference...

It is interesting to know that everyone who has lightrail coming near them is concerned about crime as if the presence of crime did not exist before. I think some one mentioned early "doubt that someone who chooses to do harm will come do harm and leave via streetcar"; they can do that on a bus or car. As soon as this lightrail is said and done, they will have photos of the lightrail passing through the campus to attract students and they know it...........

Edited September 2, 2007 by brikkman

[vdogg]

I really have to question why NSU decided to wait until less than 30 days before they actually start building the thing to add such serious objections. You can't just stop this thing on a dime. It would take months to find a new location for the maintenance area for the vehicles and a reduction in stops to the main campus may make the project itself less viable. I really hope that HRT doesn't cave because I fear that this could mean the end of light rail for Norfolk (and thus the end of my support for NSU

).

Also, that pilot article is far too short. I find it amazing that they chose not to get any commentary from Norfolk or HRT administrators in response to NSU's letter.

[brikkman]

I really have to question why NSU decided to wait until less than 30 days before they actually start building the thing to add such serious objections.

I was thinking the same thing.....why now....even the VT thing was back in april...

Also, that pilot article is far too short. I find it amazing that they chose not to get any commentary from Norfolk or HRT administrators in response to NSU's letter.

I thought that was weird as well.....

You are going to have security issues on a public campus in a city regardless. You can't compare NSU to a School like VT based on population and density alone (Blacksburg to Norfolk, come on...).

[Henry_Ryto]

NSU, "Paranoia, will destory 'ya...."

[Sky06]

Why don't we just dump the bus stops, gas stations, businesses, sidewalks, park benches, etc. etc along with it. Those places are magnets for people. And we all know all people are bad.

Once again, why does the newspaper even give merit to this nonsese?

[7citiesVA]

well im a Norfolk State student and i want to know what idiot to contact so i can give them a piece of my mind. All of the students i have spoken with or even mentioned Norfolks light rail to are excited and really cant wait. Especially out of state students who come from the big cities. I hate to say it, but I hope the city ignores NSU on this one. They just want to come off as if they are concerned for students safety just to get sum good press. Thats all. This could be real positive for the school, and now they are against it. ?????????