The Tide Light Rail - Norfolk, VA

Inflation and unexpected cost of bridges boost cost to $1b for the "straight line" routing:
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/virgini ... -1-billion" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyone go to the planning meeting for Virginia Beach's extension?
http://www.wvec.com/my-city/vabeach/Mee ... 64311.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

here is a Jan 2014 presentation to the VB City Council

The CTB's New 6-year Improvement Plan provides for the extension of the Tide to Virginia Beach. No word (at least in the breezy PR) how that might affect the pending decisions on phasing and routing.

Here is an October 2014 set of alternatives for the extension on to the Naval Station Norfolk:
http://www.gohrt.com/wp-content/uploads ... FC4106.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And a discussion at Greater Greater Washington of the choice of the extension being "a glorified parking shuttle" or something to support the city's densest neighborhoods
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/pos ... e-highway/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The one advantage that I see of coming into the base from the east is that it leaves you lined up with the most logical underwater tunnel alignment, should the system ever be extended to Newport News (which it one day will, I'm sure).

The only one of those that makes any sense to me (as someone who grew up there but moved right before this opened) would be the Western Alternative, as it would be stupid not to serve ODU, but ideally I would either tie it in to the current western ends at EVMS or have it follow Monticello downtown, not Church St.

All the alternatives off to the east I don't see as generating any decent ridership, as they don't directly serve downtown, skip ODU, and mostly run through low density neighborhoods of single-family homes, rather than the denser development to the west, along the Hampton and Granby corridors.

deathtopumpkins wrote:The only one of those that makes any sense to me (as someone who grew up there but moved right before this opened) would be the Western Alternative, as it would be stupid not to serve ODU, but ideally I would either tie it in to the current western ends at EVMS or have it follow Monticello downtown, not Church St.

All the alternatives off to the east I don't see as generating any decent ridership, as they don't directly serve downtown, skip ODU, and mostly run through low density neighborhoods of single-family homes, rather than the denser development to the west, along the Hampton and Granby corridors.

ODU is along the western alternatives, but most of the eastern alternatives follow Military Highway -which has lots of businesses. It'll be interesting to see which bus routes has more ridership; those going to ODU or those along Military Highway?
Another advantage of the Military Highway routing would be extending the light rail train south into Chesapeake without having to use a tunnel.
Let's wait for the studies to be completed before prejudging which route would better than the other. That's why studies should be done.....