62% of you realize that Virginia Beach light rail isn't going to referendum. 37% of you are deluded enough to believe that City Council will ignore 3 major business groups in order to kowtow to the VBTA.
The new question: what are your hopes for Mayor Sessoms' Minority Roundtable? Will it be a diversionary talk shop, or will proposals from it actually become City policy?
With the City Council Retreat next Monday and Tuesday (August 3 & 4), I hope to get a poll question idea or two out of it.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
TPPC July 30, 2009
The Transportation, Parking, and Pedestrian Committee (TPPC) of Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) met this morning. The unusually long meeting lasted nearly two hours.
Delceno Miles briefed the TPPC on the ongoing light rail Study process. A few interesting nuggets emerged. First, the Study is envisioned as a 16 month process, so the SEIS would be back too late for a November, 2010 referendum even if the Virginia Beach City Council wanted to hold one. (Let's pray they don't cave in to the VBTA.) Second, I did say SEIS. The Study will be done as a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, pulling a large amount of data from the 1999 Study. Third, the September public meetings will be held using an Open House format.
Preliminary endorsement was given to allowing outdoor ice skating in the 31st Street park from Thanksgiving until February. Before the City could grant a franchise for a pilot program, a number of technical issues remain to be resolved concerning the rink. No, my fellow hockey fans, the planned rink is incapable of hosting hockey games.
Ridership on the VBWave seasonal trolley service is up 19% over 2008, but still below 2007 numbers. The TPPC decided against surveying visitors on the service this year.
Finally, there was a 30 minute discussion on the wording of new signage for Atlantic Avenue's dedicated mass transit lanes. In the end, the matter was sent to the City Attorney's Office for a legal opinion on two possible scenarios. The hitch is that such signs are required to meet a national standard; would the proposals meet legal muster?
Delceno Miles briefed the TPPC on the ongoing light rail Study process. A few interesting nuggets emerged. First, the Study is envisioned as a 16 month process, so the SEIS would be back too late for a November, 2010 referendum even if the Virginia Beach City Council wanted to hold one. (Let's pray they don't cave in to the VBTA.) Second, I did say SEIS. The Study will be done as a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, pulling a large amount of data from the 1999 Study. Third, the September public meetings will be held using an Open House format.
Preliminary endorsement was given to allowing outdoor ice skating in the 31st Street park from Thanksgiving until February. Before the City could grant a franchise for a pilot program, a number of technical issues remain to be resolved concerning the rink. No, my fellow hockey fans, the planned rink is incapable of hosting hockey games.
Ridership on the VBWave seasonal trolley service is up 19% over 2008, but still below 2007 numbers. The TPPC decided against surveying visitors on the service this year.
Finally, there was a 30 minute discussion on the wording of new signage for Atlantic Avenue's dedicated mass transit lanes. In the end, the matter was sent to the City Attorney's Office for a legal opinion on two possible scenarios. The hitch is that such signs are required to meet a national standard; would the proposals meet legal muster?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Draft Pembroke Area Implementation Plan
The draft Pembroke Area Implementation Plan is scheduled to be presented to Virginia Beach's Planning Commission at their August 12 meeting. The joint meeting with the Virginia Beach Development Authority at 9 A.M. will cover future land uses for the Strategic Growth Area that includes Town Center.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Glenn Nye Can't Deliver
$3.5 million is being sought in the new Federal Budget for the light rail Study package of the Newtown Road - Dome site and EVMS - Naval Station Norfolk extensions. The House passed their Transportation funding bill...with only $400,000.
It's now up to Virginia's two Senators (Jim Webb and Mark Warner) to try to save the ball that Glenn Nye dropped.
It's now up to Virginia's two Senators (Jim Webb and Mark Warner) to try to save the ball that Glenn Nye dropped.
TDCHR July 23, 2009
Today the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR), the governing body of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), held it's first meeting with new Chairman Jim Wood at the gavel.
At the outset there was a Public Hearing on three condemnations for construction easements needed in building Norfolk light rail. There were no speakers. (Later the TDCHR unanimously authorized the condemnations.)
Previous Chair Grace Routten of Hampton was recognized for her years of service, not only as Chair but her other work as well.
The TDCHR enacted their new By-Laws with one amendment: Routten moved to have the ADA Committee kept at 21 members rather than the proposed 14.
HRT's procurement policy was changed, bringing it in line with that used by the cities of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. The prior policy had led to light rail delays and cost increases.
Please note, "choo-choo to nowhere" bashers: Change Orders were approved reducing Norfolk light rail's costs by over $545,000.
More good fiscal news: HRT finished FY 2009 about $990,000 under budget. The figures remain to be audited.
Due to further eminent domain hearings, the August 27 TDCHR meeting will be in Norfolk (rather than originally-scheduled Hampton). In turn, both the September and October meetings will be in Hampton.
At the outset there was a Public Hearing on three condemnations for construction easements needed in building Norfolk light rail. There were no speakers. (Later the TDCHR unanimously authorized the condemnations.)
Previous Chair Grace Routten of Hampton was recognized for her years of service, not only as Chair but her other work as well.
The TDCHR enacted their new By-Laws with one amendment: Routten moved to have the ADA Committee kept at 21 members rather than the proposed 14.
HRT's procurement policy was changed, bringing it in line with that used by the cities of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. The prior policy had led to light rail delays and cost increases.
Please note, "choo-choo to nowhere" bashers: Change Orders were approved reducing Norfolk light rail's costs by over $545,000.
More good fiscal news: HRT finished FY 2009 about $990,000 under budget. The figures remain to be audited.
Due to further eminent domain hearings, the August 27 TDCHR meeting will be in Norfolk (rather than originally-scheduled Hampton). In turn, both the September and October meetings will be in Hampton.
Light Rail Construction Bus Tour
It had been talked about on a few different websites. Today Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) held a bus tour of the light rail line under construction in Norfolk. 32 people boarded Bus 3033 out of the MAX fleet. It was a mix of TDCHR Commissioners, senior HRT Staff, media, and a few civilians. (FYI, there were 3-4 vacant seats if anyone else had wanted to go.)
The bus first went to the eastern terminus of the line at Newtown Road. (With Virginia Beach across the street, jokes flew about expansion eastward.) We then worked our way westward to the western terminus, taking in as much as the roads would allow an 18 ton bus to do. Fun fact of the day: the rails came in 90 foot pieces, with ten each being welded into 900 foot sections so you won't get the old-fashioned "clickity-clack" riding the train.
Favorite joke of the day: at Newtown Road a flock of geese were on the lot that will become the park-and-ride. That led Senior Vice President of Development Jayne Whitney to quip, "We'll relocate the geese."
Among the media on the bus was a camera crew from WAVY-TV and Debbie Messina of The Virginian-Pravda.
The bus first went to the eastern terminus of the line at Newtown Road. (With Virginia Beach across the street, jokes flew about expansion eastward.) We then worked our way westward to the western terminus, taking in as much as the roads would allow an 18 ton bus to do. Fun fact of the day: the rails came in 90 foot pieces, with ten each being welded into 900 foot sections so you won't get the old-fashioned "clickity-clack" riding the train.
Favorite joke of the day: at Newtown Road a flock of geese were on the lot that will become the park-and-ride. That led Senior Vice President of Development Jayne Whitney to quip, "We'll relocate the geese."
Among the media on the bus was a camera crew from WAVY-TV and Debbie Messina of The Virginian-Pravda.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
VBDA Unanimously Approves Purchase of Circuit City Property
This morning the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) unanimously approved the purchase of the former Circuit City property on Independence Boulevard, pending City Council approval and financing. What was intriguing was the discussion of the agenda item. On the one hand, the pending Pembroke Area Implementation Plan (which has it as a transit center), it's proximity to the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way, and Friday's Virginian-Pravda story were all mentioned. On the other hand, neither the terms "light rail" nor "transit center" were ever used. Instead, conversation focused on it's potential as an additional block to Town Center.
Very interesting. It's either a smokescreen or some kind of hybrid facility (like planned at the Dome site) is in the cards. (The entertainment center at the Dome site would have a transportation center on part of it's first floor.) With less than 3.8 acres of land, there's not much room to do much of both.
Speaking of the Done site, the VBDA granted developer Michael Jenkins a nine month extension in putting together a plan. Six months was the original motion, which was amended to nine. It would be a complex facility (with up to 47 entertainment components), plus the current financing market is tough.
On the convention center headquarters hotel, it was stated that the FAA had previously looked favorably on projects up to 180 feet in the area. Given such, the City wished to determine why the FAA was now asking for no more than 110 feet.
Finally, the group performing the Virginia Beach light rail study will come to the August VBDA meeting as part of their series of interviews with stakeholders.
Very interesting. It's either a smokescreen or some kind of hybrid facility (like planned at the Dome site) is in the cards. (The entertainment center at the Dome site would have a transportation center on part of it's first floor.) With less than 3.8 acres of land, there's not much room to do much of both.
Speaking of the Done site, the VBDA granted developer Michael Jenkins a nine month extension in putting together a plan. Six months was the original motion, which was amended to nine. It would be a complex facility (with up to 47 entertainment components), plus the current financing market is tough.
On the convention center headquarters hotel, it was stated that the FAA had previously looked favorably on projects up to 180 feet in the area. Given such, the City wished to determine why the FAA was now asking for no more than 110 feet.
Finally, the group performing the Virginia Beach light rail study will come to the August VBDA meeting as part of their series of interviews with stakeholders.
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