Hampton Roads Transportation

[wrldcoupe4]

I wonder if they'll favor a route via Williamsburg or one along the 460 corridor? Great news for both regions in any case

[gosscj]

I wonder if they'll favor a route via Williamsburg or one along the 460 corridor? Great news for both regions in any case

I would certainly hope it would take a route roughly paralelling I-64, which could potentially pass through many more highly-developed areas in Hampton Roads than a 460 parallel. The latter comes into Hampton Roads awkwardly through western Suffolk and Portsmouth, neither of which are really worthy of that kind of transportation development. If that sounds a little harsh, it's only motivated by a desire to see the more urban areas addressed with rail transportation before those suburban/rural areas that would probably never be able to take full advantage of such a great asset. I would love to see a stop near downtown Portsmouth, but there's no reason for a high-speed rail to come through Churchland.

[urbanvb]

If I am not mistaken one idea was to have the rail approach the peninsula from Richmond but another leg of the system would follow 460 and eventually end up in Norfolk where the main station would be - somewhere near the Tides stadium. Therefore, the peninsula and southside would have central but separate stations. I believe the reason being for two stations is the high cost associated with having to cross the water to extend rail from the peninsula over to the southside.

[gosscj]

Granted the cost of crossing Hampton Roads might be fairly high, I would still think it would be MUCH cheaper than building and operating two separate lines. I think that solution would also go against the notion of a single Hampton Roads region encompassing the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads.

[lammius]

Granted the cost of crossing Hampton Roads might be fairly high, I would still think it would be MUCH cheaper than building and operating two separate lines. I think that solution would also go against the notion of a single Hampton Roads region encompassing the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads.

But having HSR take the Peninsula alignment would go against the notion of having HSR!

IMO, HSR should take the 460 alignment into Norfolk. Standard AMTRAK service may still serve Newport News from Richmond. Regional commuter rail may one day cross the harbor.

[gosscj]

Would this be a direct line from Richmond to Norfolk with no stops between? In that case, I guess either route would be alright, but ideally I'd still like to see it travel down the Peninsula and make a stop in Newport News and one in Norfolk. Also, are they looking into extending the track south into NC from there, or would Norfolk be the terminal station?

[urbanvb]

I am not sure if there would be stops in between Norfolk and Richmond. Here is the rendering from the website.

[lammius]

Well, state, Fed, & other officials will have to decide... do they want...

A - High speed rail between Norfolk and Richmond.

B - Mediocre speed rail making stops on the Peninsula.

If A is the choice, the 460 alignment is the only option IMO. The Peninsula alignment is curvy, has many sensitive receptors near it, and could potentially be required to make stops in Newport News and maybe even Williamsburg.

[wrldcoupe4]

We just need to perfect teleportation...

[mercuex]

There's an interesting (but not necessarily good) article on the Daily Press today about transportation and the importance of rail. The author, while managing to hit on several good points, does an excellent job of coming to the exact opposite conclusion of the sum of his arguments.

For example, the premise of the piece is the necessary central role of rail in Virginia's future. He mentions the infamous $4 billion Dulles line as proof of the desirability of rail, though he does (rightly) question whether four billion dollars could be better used than in a single rail line.

In the end - though he questions the massive appropriation for the Dulles line, and when one considers the strength of evidence against new tax hikes when Virginia is running a $1 billion surplus, AND there is clear signs of gross misappropriation in the way money is currently spent (transportation and not) - the author seems to believe that it is still those Republican haters who are determined to stymie growth in Virginia.

If we raise taxes now, while we're in a bonanza, when would we not raise taxes?? And doesn't this all seem like a highly convenient (or decidedly inconvenient, rather) valve so that the ridiculous way that money is spent in this state can continue business-as-usual? Is anyone at all paying attention to this craziness??

[rusthebuss]

There's an interesting (but not necessarily good) article on the Daily Press today about transportation and the importance of rail. The author, while managing to hit on several good points, does an excellent job of coming to the exact opposite conclusion of the sum of his arguments.

For example, the premise of the piece is the necessary central role of rail in Virginia's future. He mentions the infamous $4 billion Dulles line as proof of the desirability of rail, though he does (rightly) question whether four billion dollars could be better used than in a single rail line.

In the end - though he questions the massive appropriation for the Dulles line, and when one considers the strength of evidence against new tax hikes when Virginia is running a $1 billion surplus, AND there is clear signs of gross misappropriation in the way money is currently spent (transportation and not) - the author seems to believe that it is still those Republican haters who are determined to stymie growth in Virginia.

If we raise taxes now, while we're in a bonanza, when would we not raise taxes?? And doesn't this all seem like a highly convenient (or decidedly inconvenient, rather) valve so that the ridiculous way that money is spent in this state can continue business-as-usual? Is anyone at all paying attention to this craziness??

This is why NC is whooping us. They keep taxes down yet they aren't having the issues that we are having. They manage the state alot better than us and still keep the market growing

[vdogg]

Hampton Roads Transportation challenges resonate in our area. This is Fredericksburg newspapers take on our transportation crisis.

Noting that transportation forecasts always turn out low, he ominously mentioned another forecast: By 2015, the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (Interstate 64) will have an average of one major incident per hour, all day long. It typically takes an hour to clear the highway after an incident, he said, so the road will be perpetually congested. It's easy to imagine the same forecast applying to Interstate 95 in even less than nine years.

1 per hour, dear lord no! That is continuos gridlock for an entire day.

[johnhowell]

This is why NC is whooping us. They keep taxes down yet they aren't having the issues that we are having. They manage the state alot better than us and still keep the market growing

Have you ever been on the interstates in NC?

[vdogg]

Just as one project on 64 gets done, another is about to begin. 2 miles of I-64 in Chesapeake will be widened from 6 to 14 lanes. The battlefield blvd interchange and bridge will also be replaced. Construction is scheduled to take 3 years but we all know how those deadlines go. Look for traffic headaches in that region for many years to come.

[babiko]

I am waiting for them to announce I 64 widening again on the Peninsula. Now that the Coliseum Central project is wrapping up, the segment of the interstate from Bland Blvd towards Williamsburg is going to be slated for construction, including a new interchanges at Bland and another road between Denbigh and Ft Eustis. It is never going to end...arent they talking about redoing 64/264 interchange? that should go smoothly

[Stunad]

I read that they are planning on redoing the I64/I264 interchange as well Babiko. I thought it was put into budget by former gov Warner in one ofhis last few executive decisions or transportation plans. As for the gridlock that it may ceate...get ready for inconsistant lane closures and longer rush hours everybody. I can't wait for that one.

[wrldcoupe4]

VDOT might be planning on dropping or delaying some planned improvements around the state by June 1st without any legislative action... I'll try to pick out the ones in HR:

-Interstate 64-264 interchange improvements in Norfolk and Virginia Beach

-Intermodal Connector construction in Norfolk

-State Route 164 rail relocation in Portsmouth

-Warwick Boulevard construction in Newport News

-Jefferson Avenue construction in Newport News

[babiko]

They already started the Warwick Blvd construction last month..they are widening the road from 4 to 6 lanes from J Clyde to Nettles, which is only three miles; however the project is to continue until 2009. The traffic tie ups in the afternoon around Warwick and J Clyde are ridiculous.

I am not aware of any Jefferson Ave construction. I suppose they could widen Jefferson from Denbigh to the city/county line.

[rusthebuss]

Good Article

[Padman]

That is an interesting article, and a good one. I'm worried that the costs and complexities of this issue is overwhelming to the political bodies involved. The Interstate system was largely successful because it was planned, funded and implemented mostly by the Feds. Interestlingly, it was largely conceived as a homeland security project, mimicking the successful autobahn system in Germany. The ability to move military supplies and personnel throughout the country was a vital concern during WWII.

Now we have a government that is more interested in destroying and then rebuilding foreign infrastructure, and seems put off by the costs of significantly enhancing our aging Interstate system. The new SAFETEA legislation does provide money for roadways and transit, but apparently not at needed levels. More authority is given to regional MPOs, so planning is even less centralized. Legal and environmental constraints make new road construction increasingly costly and difficult. These factors, among others, make a centralized, rational planning response from the Feds less likely than ever.

What I'm getting at is that most of our traffic is generated either directly or indirectly by Federal and State agencies, yet we must solve our congestion issues in the same manner as the "civilian" communities. In the interest of fairness and national security, we really should getting far more assistance from Federal and State tax dollars on our major transportation projects.

[vdogg]

Yet another reason traffics always so slow

[erdogs]

Yet another reason traffics always so slow

I knew someone who would drive about 15 mph going through a tunnel. She was scared she would either hit the wall or a car. Trust me you did not want to be in the car with her. Most people slow down too much while in the tunnel. Thats what causes the bottle necks

[rusthebuss]

I knew someone who would drive about 15 mph going through a tunnel. She was scared she would either hit the wall or a car. Trust me you did not want to be in the car with her. Most people slow down too much while in the tunnel. Thats what causes the bottle necks

Not me! I use it as an excuse to fly! Tunnels don't bother me but people like that tick me off and give me road rage! I hear now that road rage is a disease.

[urbanvb]

The mixing bowl in Springfield even makes me feel uneasy at times.

[GoodNews]

3rd crossing plans pushed back

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-48...ews-local-final