The Transportation, Parking, and Pedestrian Committee (TPPC) of Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) met this morning.
Keith Johnson of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) gave a Briefing on seasonal VBWave service, which begins tomorrow. Changes for 2009:
1. An additional vehicle will go into service at Noon to help with the lunch rush. The full night rotation will run 5:15-9 P.M.
2. Route 31 won't loop into the Virginia Aquarium or Ocean Breeze in early morning or late night due to low ridership at those times. The 31 will continue to be operated by the old red trolleys.
3. The hours saved from the 31 will be applied to Route 32. There will be one earlier trip and one later trip to Lynnhaven Mall this year.
It had been hoped to have 10 trolleys painted in a blue scheme similar to the hybrids for the season to help visitors realize the new hybrids serve the same function as the old trolleys. However, funding cuts mean the 2nd one is now being painted. There will be an attempt to find money to paint more.
The TPPC discussed surreys in the Resort Area. While the number had been previously capped by the City, developments suggest there will be a decline in numbers in the near future.
Finally, CCO RAC representative Henry Ryto brought to the TPPC's attention planned service cuts on HRT's Route 960. That MAX route is the one that brings workers to the Resort Area. If HRT Staff's proposal was implemented, there would be no weekend service 8 months of the year. That would inhibit Resort businesses in staffing their workplaces.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Jessica's Rants
Jessica Blaine, who has been a regular commenter on here, now has her own blog. Jessica's Rants is linked on the sidebar.
Yes, Jessica, the Red Sox suck.
Yes, Jessica, the Red Sox suck.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Messnerism-Greenmunism Is Alive And Insane
Yesterday's Virginian-Pravda brought us an article on City Staff's move to divert money from Seaboard Road to 31st Street. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/04/virginia-beach-considers-redirecting-cash-laskin-gateway
The comments are plentiful. Scroll down and you'll find Reid Greenmun's on Sunday at 6:44 A.M. The Chairman of The Laughingstock Party (TLP),er-Tidewater Libertarian Party and Transportation Chairman of the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) ends with "We need John Moss, not Will $e$$om$."
1. Someone needs to remind Reid that the election was on November 4 and that Sessoms won. In fact Will Sessoms (74,386) got more than 2 1/2 times as many votes as John Moss (29,528).
That Reid refuses to accept the election result nearly six months later is telling.
Then, he has a history of refusing to accept votes that don't go his way: the original 31st Street group rejecting his draft By-Laws in 2000, the CCO endorsing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in 2005, etc. The same Reid Greenmun who clamors for a referendum on virtually everything is the first to disparage a vote that he loses.
2. Note that he spells Sessoms' last name with dollar signs replacing the "S"s. That tactic was first used by Barbara Messner on Talknet. Yes, the same Messner that Greenmun was allied with in splitting the 31st Street Park movement. Further proof that Messner and Greenmun are effectively one in the same. Messner + Greenmun = Marx + Engels.
The comments are plentiful. Scroll down and you'll find Reid Greenmun's on Sunday at 6:44 A.M. The Chairman of The Laughingstock Party (TLP),er-Tidewater Libertarian Party and Transportation Chairman of the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) ends with "We need John Moss, not Will $e$$om$."
1. Someone needs to remind Reid that the election was on November 4 and that Sessoms won. In fact Will Sessoms (74,386) got more than 2 1/2 times as many votes as John Moss (29,528).
That Reid refuses to accept the election result nearly six months later is telling.
Then, he has a history of refusing to accept votes that don't go his way: the original 31st Street group rejecting his draft By-Laws in 2000, the CCO endorsing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in 2005, etc. The same Reid Greenmun who clamors for a referendum on virtually everything is the first to disparage a vote that he loses.
2. Note that he spells Sessoms' last name with dollar signs replacing the "S"s. That tactic was first used by Barbara Messner on Talknet. Yes, the same Messner that Greenmun was allied with in splitting the 31st Street Park movement. Further proof that Messner and Greenmun are effectively one in the same. Messner + Greenmun = Marx + Engels.
94% Want To Privatize SPSA
94% of voters wanted to privatize SPSA, while 5% were opposed.
The new question is which road should get priority in the Budget: 31st Street or Seaboard Road? In the draft Budget amendments, Virginia Beach City Staff moved money from Seaboard Road to speed work on 31st Street.
The new question is which road should get priority in the Budget: 31st Street or Seaboard Road? In the draft Budget amendments, Virginia Beach City Staff moved money from Seaboard Road to speed work on 31st Street.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
TDCHR April 23, 2009
This afternoon the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR), the governing board of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), held it's April meeting.
The top story was the granting of a contract for the Study of two extensions to Norfolk's light rail Starter Line. The one is the Alternatives Analysis (AA) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Newtown Road to the Dome site in Virginia Beach, the other is the AA for Eastern Virginia Medical School to the Navy base in Norfolk. The AA is only included for the latter given that there are a number of possible alignments. In Virginia Beach, the purchase of the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way pretty much cements that routing.
It was a historic occasion. Not only was Debbie Messina of The Virginian-Pravda covering the meeting (as usual), but WAVY-TV sent a camera crew. That's the first time I've seen a television crew at a TDCHR meeting.
Staff has proposed eliminating MAX Route 963. In addition, they want to pare down Route 960 during the off-season to weekday rush hour service only. There will be a Public Hearing on the changes at the May 28 TDCHR meeting. Opposition to the 960 changes is expected from Virginia Beach Resort Area businesses.
The TDCHR entered into a Comprehensive Agreement for Phase I of a new Southside facility. The new building would provide maintenance and operations space, replacing the current structures, which are over a century old and originally designed for streetcars.
In related news, the TDCHR agreed to a lease on the former Ford Launch Facility on Indian River Road to house maintenance and operations during construction. The lease is for two years with a six month option. The Launch Facility is part of the former Ford plant.
Finally, MV Contract Transportation was awarded a contract to provide paratransit for the next three years, with two subsequent one year options.
The top story was the granting of a contract for the Study of two extensions to Norfolk's light rail Starter Line. The one is the Alternatives Analysis (AA) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Newtown Road to the Dome site in Virginia Beach, the other is the AA for Eastern Virginia Medical School to the Navy base in Norfolk. The AA is only included for the latter given that there are a number of possible alignments. In Virginia Beach, the purchase of the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way pretty much cements that routing.
It was a historic occasion. Not only was Debbie Messina of The Virginian-Pravda covering the meeting (as usual), but WAVY-TV sent a camera crew. That's the first time I've seen a television crew at a TDCHR meeting.
Staff has proposed eliminating MAX Route 963. In addition, they want to pare down Route 960 during the off-season to weekday rush hour service only. There will be a Public Hearing on the changes at the May 28 TDCHR meeting. Opposition to the 960 changes is expected from Virginia Beach Resort Area businesses.
The TDCHR entered into a Comprehensive Agreement for Phase I of a new Southside facility. The new building would provide maintenance and operations space, replacing the current structures, which are over a century old and originally designed for streetcars.
In related news, the TDCHR agreed to a lease on the former Ford Launch Facility on Indian River Road to house maintenance and operations during construction. The lease is for two years with a six month option. The Launch Facility is part of the former Ford plant.
Finally, MV Contract Transportation was awarded a contract to provide paratransit for the next three years, with two subsequent one year options.
I Have Seen The Future
I was at the Newport News Transportation Center late morning on Wednesday. They were installing the new automated farecard vending machine. If you hadn't heard (and you probably hadn't), Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) is going to farecard machines to replace buying farecards from Staff at customer service windows. That will eliminate the pay and benefits costs of the associated Staff. Having seen two of the machines (a second was on the truck), they look great. However, given HRT's track record on bringing new technology online, I'll only take it seriously when it actually works the way it's suppose to over a period of time.
For those still wanting to buy a farecard from a human, HRT is being more aggressive in getting merchants to sell HRT stock.
For those still wanting to buy a farecard from a human, HRT is being more aggressive in getting merchants to sell HRT stock.
Marketing Genius
On Wednesday Popeye's Chicken held a one day only sale, 8 pieces of chicken for $4.99. I was at the Janaf location in Norfolk at 3:10 P.M. and the place was swamped. If that was mid-afternoon, I can only imagine dinner hour.
Hats off to those at Popeye's who came up with the idea.
Hats off to those at Popeye's who came up with the idea.
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