TPPC March 26, 2008

The Transportation, Parking, and Pedestrian Committee (TPPC) of Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) met Wednesday morning.

In the "meeting before the meeting", four of us discussed the detour and temporary Direct Transfer Center (DTC) by Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) on Jeanne Street, behind Pembroke Mall. I learned that HRT had in fact sought to put the temporary DTC in the Pembroke Mall parking lot. However, Mall management wanted "thousands of dollars" and other concessions.

March 26 will be the last time the TPPC meets on Wednesday. It was unanimously decided to move the meetings to Thursdays. Intriguingly, that will put the TPPC on the same day as the TDCHR (i.e. HRT's Board). I'll try to make and report on both. The change was requested by City Councilman and RAC Liaison John Uhrin. Uhrin sits on HRT's Budget Committee, which meets on Wednesday mornings. Given those duties, he asked for a move to Tuesday or Thursday.

Two routes for the VBWave seasonal trolley service will be adjusted pending endorsement by the full RAC. Routes 30 (Atlantic Avenue) and 32 (Shopper's Express) northbound will be shifted from Atlantic Avenue to Pacific Avenue north of 25th Street. That's due to the lack of a dedicated trolley lane on congested Atlantic north of 25th.

The TPPC approved a request for improved lighting along the Norfolk Avenue bike path between the Colony Trailer Park and Parks Avenue. The decision on which lights to use was passed to the RAC's Plan/Design Review Committee (PDRC), which has more expertise in lighting.

An okay was given to a pilot program for more days for the horse riding franchise on the beach. The approved plan would have horse rides from September 15 to June 15. To do so, the Virginia Beach City Council would need to enact a new Ordinance on the matter.