The date of the 2009 Banquet has been changed. Originally scheduled for Sunday, November 1, it is now slated for Friday, October 30 at the Town Center Westin at 6 P.M.
Among awards at the Banquet, Delegate Bob Tata will be recognized.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Poland Moves Towards Castration For Pedophiles
The lower chamber of Poland's parliament on Friday passed a bill that would, in some cases, require chemical castration of pedophiles. http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE58O4LE20090925
Sunday, September 27, 2009
82% Grasp Land Use
82% of voters understand that Virginia Beach's traditional land use patterns aren't sustainable in the long term. 17% thought they were. As has been said, Virginia Beach was built on cheap land and cheap gas. With both gone, we have to rethink how we do both land planning and transportation.
The new poll question comes out of last week's RAC saga: how many traffic lanes for 32nd Street? Four is infinitely more desirable for traffic flow, while it's argued three would aid urban land redevelopment.
The new poll question comes out of last week's RAC saga: how many traffic lanes for 32nd Street? Four is infinitely more desirable for traffic flow, while it's argued three would aid urban land redevelopment.
Redskins = Laughingstocks
Your sorry team couldn't even beat the Detroit Lions. Yeah, you lost at Ford Field 19-14. The rest of the teams in the league and their fans are busy laughing at you tonight. For more coverage, try the website of the Detroit Free Press at http://www.freep.com/lions
My Ravens stomped the Breveland Clowns 34-3.
My Ravens stomped the Breveland Clowns 34-3.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Southside Draft COA Changes
With the draft Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) rolled out this week, a look at changes it proposes in South Hampton Roads. Being an expert neither on Peninsula geography nor it's bus routes, I'll let some Peninsula blogger cover them.
SUFFOLK
Routes 73 & 74 - in the long term, would reduce both to on demand services.
VIRGINIA BEACH
Route 25 - would reroute the portion between the PA Road/S. Plaza Trail/Providence Road intersection and PA Road/Witchduck Road/Kempsville Road intersection. The 25 would use Providence Road (east-west) and Kempsville Road (north-south) to serve the Fairfield area.
Me: this one comes down to a trade-off: are you willing to give up the Baxter Road/PA Road area to get Fairfield? I would, but a transit advocate I spoke to wouldn't.
Route 26 - redraws it as a Pembroke East to Lynnhaven Mall route, via Bow Creek, Rosemont Road, and Bonney Road.
Me: this one has been in the pipes since late Spring. The 26 is the least rode of VB's daily year-round routes.
Route 29 - would be split at Hilltop, with the Mill Dam Road deviation eliminated from the northern portion.
Me: splitting the 29 has appeared in a couple previous regional transit studies. When will it actually be done?
Route 36 - would take the Pembroke East - Amphib base section of Route 1 and add it to the 36.
Birdneck Circulator - a new service. It would go out 24th Street from the Resort Area, up Birdneck Road, west on Laskin, up Republic Road, south on First Colonial, east on I-264, then back up Birdneck and out 24th Street.
Me: the TPO's just-approved Non-Driver Report identifies pockets in this area lacking transit service, which the Circulator seeks to serve.
NORFOLK
Routes 9 & 18 - the NSU - Cedar Grove sections would be eliminated. The 18 would then become an every 40 minute service.
Route 4 - straightened somewhat, the portion south of Virginia Beach Boulevard eliminated (plenty of other service in that area), and it becomes a one-way loop.
Route 5 - in the south, it shoots down Tidewater Drive and Little Creek to Evelyn Butts instead of going to Wards Corner.
Route 23 - the segment along Wood Avenue and Front Street is eliminated. In addition, the portion south of Best Square is gone.
Route 15 - the monster of the COA, with the 15 being split. 15a runs Naval Station Norfolk to Amphib base (the 8 is chopped at Evelyn Butts), while 15b is Evelyn Butts to Greenbrier Mall.
PORTSMOUTH
Route 41 - extend service to Cavalier Business Park at peak hours.
Route 44 - eliminate the 44C, and extend the full route down Frederick Boulevard to Walmart.
Route 45 - move the outbound section of the 57 between Victory Crossing and Airline Boulevard to the 45.
Route 57 - in addition to the above, extend the route to Greenbrier Mall.
CHESAPEAKE
The major surgery was in transit-poor Chesapeake.
Greenbrier Mall - all 15s would go there, with the transfer center moved there from Robert Hall. Also, a Greenbrier Connector (circulator) bus would be introduced.
Routes 6 & 13 - their through buses from Cedar Grove to Robert Hall now operate on the same half hour. Stagger them, so most people have a bus (either the 6 or 13) in walking distance every 30 minutes. Also, eliminate 13 service south of Chesapeake General Hospital.
Route 58 - instead of fish hooking to Robert Hall, go down Dominion, Grassfield (including Walmart), then turn onto Cedar Road. Serve both TCC Chesapeake and the Chesapeake Municipal Center before ending at Chesapeake General Hospital.
Me: the idea with the 13 is to take it off the Great Bridge drawbridge, which regularly causes the 13 to miss the lineup at Robert Hall. However, I had a HRT Staffer point out to me that the changes mean taking the 58 across two drawbridges.
SUFFOLK
Routes 73 & 74 - in the long term, would reduce both to on demand services.
VIRGINIA BEACH
Route 25 - would reroute the portion between the PA Road/S. Plaza Trail/Providence Road intersection and PA Road/Witchduck Road/Kempsville Road intersection. The 25 would use Providence Road (east-west) and Kempsville Road (north-south) to serve the Fairfield area.
Me: this one comes down to a trade-off: are you willing to give up the Baxter Road/PA Road area to get Fairfield? I would, but a transit advocate I spoke to wouldn't.
Route 26 - redraws it as a Pembroke East to Lynnhaven Mall route, via Bow Creek, Rosemont Road, and Bonney Road.
Me: this one has been in the pipes since late Spring. The 26 is the least rode of VB's daily year-round routes.
Route 29 - would be split at Hilltop, with the Mill Dam Road deviation eliminated from the northern portion.
Me: splitting the 29 has appeared in a couple previous regional transit studies. When will it actually be done?
Route 36 - would take the Pembroke East - Amphib base section of Route 1 and add it to the 36.
Birdneck Circulator - a new service. It would go out 24th Street from the Resort Area, up Birdneck Road, west on Laskin, up Republic Road, south on First Colonial, east on I-264, then back up Birdneck and out 24th Street.
Me: the TPO's just-approved Non-Driver Report identifies pockets in this area lacking transit service, which the Circulator seeks to serve.
NORFOLK
Routes 9 & 18 - the NSU - Cedar Grove sections would be eliminated. The 18 would then become an every 40 minute service.
Route 4 - straightened somewhat, the portion south of Virginia Beach Boulevard eliminated (plenty of other service in that area), and it becomes a one-way loop.
Route 5 - in the south, it shoots down Tidewater Drive and Little Creek to Evelyn Butts instead of going to Wards Corner.
Route 23 - the segment along Wood Avenue and Front Street is eliminated. In addition, the portion south of Best Square is gone.
Route 15 - the monster of the COA, with the 15 being split. 15a runs Naval Station Norfolk to Amphib base (the 8 is chopped at Evelyn Butts), while 15b is Evelyn Butts to Greenbrier Mall.
PORTSMOUTH
Route 41 - extend service to Cavalier Business Park at peak hours.
Route 44 - eliminate the 44C, and extend the full route down Frederick Boulevard to Walmart.
Route 45 - move the outbound section of the 57 between Victory Crossing and Airline Boulevard to the 45.
Route 57 - in addition to the above, extend the route to Greenbrier Mall.
CHESAPEAKE
The major surgery was in transit-poor Chesapeake.
Greenbrier Mall - all 15s would go there, with the transfer center moved there from Robert Hall. Also, a Greenbrier Connector (circulator) bus would be introduced.
Routes 6 & 13 - their through buses from Cedar Grove to Robert Hall now operate on the same half hour. Stagger them, so most people have a bus (either the 6 or 13) in walking distance every 30 minutes. Also, eliminate 13 service south of Chesapeake General Hospital.
Route 58 - instead of fish hooking to Robert Hall, go down Dominion, Grassfield (including Walmart), then turn onto Cedar Road. Serve both TCC Chesapeake and the Chesapeake Municipal Center before ending at Chesapeake General Hospital.
Me: the idea with the 13 is to take it off the Great Bridge drawbridge, which regularly causes the 13 to miss the lineup at Robert Hall. However, I had a HRT Staffer point out to me that the changes mean taking the 58 across two drawbridges.
Draft COA Meetings
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) held meetings on it's draft Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) this week, Wednesday in Norfolk and Thursday evening in Hampton. The COA examined existing mainline bus service and suggested where it could be improved. The COA was done by HNTB Corporation, a consultant.
The essential difference between the two meetings was on area of public comment. In Norfolk, people were more interested in establishing improved general service parameters and asking questions about HRT's Transit Riders Advisory Committee (TRAC). In Hampton, feedback largely was giving ideas where individual routes could be made better.
Despite great efforts by HRT to promote the meetings, attendance wasn't very good in numbers. As one Staffer said prior to the Hampton meeting, riders won't say a word until the day changes are actually implemented....then they'll scream. HRT featured the meetings on their website, their Facebook page, posted fliers at bus transfer centers, ran announcements on the buses' ACS systems, etc.
The sideshow of the two days happened in Hampton when a woman as insane as Reid Greenmun showed up late. First she sat down, a minute later stood up, pulled out a piece of paper and announced "I want to give a speech." She then started on about particular Operators and Customer Service personnel, never coming to a conclusion. She thought she could do a better job at running the buses, so twice announced she wanted to be named President of HRT. Finally, she got on top of her table and blathered about the psychological differences between men and women. (Yeah, men don't make fools of themselves in COA meetings....) Order was restored when a HRT Staffer got her out of the room to speak to her individually, allowing the consultants to continue with their Presentation.
Personally, I like the vast majority of the changes proposed in the COA. How many revisions are made before it goes to the TDCHR for approval, and what will they be?
The essential difference between the two meetings was on area of public comment. In Norfolk, people were more interested in establishing improved general service parameters and asking questions about HRT's Transit Riders Advisory Committee (TRAC). In Hampton, feedback largely was giving ideas where individual routes could be made better.
Despite great efforts by HRT to promote the meetings, attendance wasn't very good in numbers. As one Staffer said prior to the Hampton meeting, riders won't say a word until the day changes are actually implemented....then they'll scream. HRT featured the meetings on their website, their Facebook page, posted fliers at bus transfer centers, ran announcements on the buses' ACS systems, etc.
The sideshow of the two days happened in Hampton when a woman as insane as Reid Greenmun showed up late. First she sat down, a minute later stood up, pulled out a piece of paper and announced "I want to give a speech." She then started on about particular Operators and Customer Service personnel, never coming to a conclusion. She thought she could do a better job at running the buses, so twice announced she wanted to be named President of HRT. Finally, she got on top of her table and blathered about the psychological differences between men and women. (Yeah, men don't make fools of themselves in COA meetings....) Order was restored when a HRT Staffer got her out of the room to speak to her individually, allowing the consultants to continue with their Presentation.
Personally, I like the vast majority of the changes proposed in the COA. How many revisions are made before it goes to the TDCHR for approval, and what will they be?
Friday, September 25, 2009
TDCHR September 24, 2009
Thursday the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR) met at Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) headquarters in Hampton. The meeting lasted just over 45 minutes.
The TDCHR unanimously approved the construction of a replacement transfer center at Victory Crossing in Portsmouth. (I'd argue the current TC is the worst transfer center in HRT's network, so the new facility will be greatly appreciated.) Portsmouth envisions a three phase project. Phase II will be parking lots for park-and-ride capability, with Phase III being greater amenities for mass transit passengers.
In FY 2010, the TDCHR is currently $683,907 under Budget. In addition, Norfolk light rail is under it's revised budget of $288 million.
The TDCHR endorsed it's Legislative Agenda for 2010.
Light rail construction in Norfolk is now 50.923% complete.
Commissioners were briefed on the recent mass transit Scoping meetings in Virginia Beach. Also, the Beach's Community Advisory Committee is slated to first meet on October 28. Finally, transit station workshops will be held in mid-November.
In Norfolk, Operations and Maintenance are to be moved out of the 18th Street facility to temporary quarters at the former Ford plant on October 18. Modifications at the plant are 85%-90% complete. The new HRT buildings at 18th Street are due to be completed in the Spring of 2011.
Phase II of the Regional Transit Vision Plan is now underway, with public meetings on it tentatively scheduled for April or May of 2010.
For last, maybe the best news of all: HRT ridership in August, 2009 was up 8.02% over August, 2008. That's despite no appreciable new service, but rather additional passengers on existing service. So much for those "empty buses" Flat Earthers love to whine about....
The TDCHR unanimously approved the construction of a replacement transfer center at Victory Crossing in Portsmouth. (I'd argue the current TC is the worst transfer center in HRT's network, so the new facility will be greatly appreciated.) Portsmouth envisions a three phase project. Phase II will be parking lots for park-and-ride capability, with Phase III being greater amenities for mass transit passengers.
In FY 2010, the TDCHR is currently $683,907 under Budget. In addition, Norfolk light rail is under it's revised budget of $288 million.
The TDCHR endorsed it's Legislative Agenda for 2010.
Light rail construction in Norfolk is now 50.923% complete.
Commissioners were briefed on the recent mass transit Scoping meetings in Virginia Beach. Also, the Beach's Community Advisory Committee is slated to first meet on October 28. Finally, transit station workshops will be held in mid-November.
In Norfolk, Operations and Maintenance are to be moved out of the 18th Street facility to temporary quarters at the former Ford plant on October 18. Modifications at the plant are 85%-90% complete. The new HRT buildings at 18th Street are due to be completed in the Spring of 2011.
Phase II of the Regional Transit Vision Plan is now underway, with public meetings on it tentatively scheduled for April or May of 2010.
For last, maybe the best news of all: HRT ridership in August, 2009 was up 8.02% over August, 2008. That's despite no appreciable new service, but rather additional passengers on existing service. So much for those "empty buses" Flat Earthers love to whine about....
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