Sunday, November 4, 2007

November 4, 2007: A Dark Day For Transit In Virginia Beach

November 4, 2007 was Day 2 of the 2007 Virginia Beach City Council's Annual Retreat. Under Transportation two transit items came up for a vote as priorities:

1. There was Barbara Henley's proposal to make a decision on Light Rail during the coming year. The item was passed...after it was watered down, eliminating a reference to a specific transit system to go down the Norfolk Southern Right-of-Way. Ironically it was our two HRT Commissioners (Jim Wood and John Uhrin) that led the waffling.

City Manager Jim Spore obviously had read my e-mail to Council prior to the Retreat. He reminded them that there was a 10 year lead time to do light rail and the clock doesn't start until Council makes a decision to begin.

2. A proposal by Ron Villaneuva to improve existing bus service and add bus shelters got only three votes (Rosemary Wilson, Meyera Oberndorf, and Villaneuva).

Council can still do the above, but it chose to make neither a priority for the coming year.

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