Hampton Roads Transit

Down by the station┬áNorfolk, Virginia, is the smallest city in the US to receive federal funding for a light rail project. Climb aboard with April Terreri to discover what this project means for the future of Hampton Roads, Virginia. Transportation planners in Hampton Roads, Virginia, had long worried that congestion on major interstates and arterial roads was approaching critical levels, especially at the regionÔÇÖs numerous tunnels and bridges, where commuters regularly were encountering hours of stalled traffic.  With highway transportation dollars drying up, the region faced an impending crisis that threatened its way of life and economic health.To give commuters an alternative, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) proposed building VirginiaÔÇÖs first light rail network (The Tide) largely parallel to a main commuter routeÔÇöInterstate 264ÔÇöto link downtown Norfolk with Virginia Beach, the regionÔÇÖs biggest city. For less money than a new interstate, or even upgrades to the existing ones, the region could offer a transit alternative that would provide direct connections to employment centers, do so in an environmentally sustainable way, and create powerful incentives for development that would shun sprawl and revitalize portions of Norfolk.Despite long odds, years of planning and strict federal standards, HRT, the City of Norfolk and the Federal Transit Administration signed an agreement in October 2007 that cleared the way for an initial operating segment of 7.4 miles to the Virginia Beach city line.Hampton Roads has a rich national heritage dating back to the settlement of Jamestown in 1607. Located at the confluence of the James and York Rivers, Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean, Hampton Roads comprises seven principal cities with Norfolk playing a key role as a center of culture, finance and shipping. For now, The Tide will serve commuters in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.Fred Schneader, senior vice president of construction for Hampton Roads Transit, says, ÔÇ£Norfolk is home to Naval Station Norfolk, the largest Navy base in the world and the home port to five aircraft carriers. Substantial amounts of our nationÔÇÖs industrial and consumer goods also pass through the ports here at Newport News, Norfolk and Portsmouth.ÔÇØThe Tide will extend 7.4 miles on an east-west alignment from the East Virginia Medical Center and the regionÔÇÖs primary childrenÔÇÖs and heart health hospital complexes through downtown Norfolk, along the Norfolk Southern right-of-way (adjacent to I-264) to Newtown Road, says Schneader. It will have 11 stations, all designed to reflect the unique character of the region, and four park-and-ride lots. Trains will operate throughout the week from 6:00am to midnight, and during rush hour trains will run about every seven and a half minutes in each direction. The system is expected to carry about 4.5 million passengers annually.The light rail vehicles will be driven by an on-board train operator and powered by an overhead catenary system (constructed by Truland Systems), making The Tide quiet and clean. The three phases of the project include first initiating environmental mitigation, construction of two bridges, and civil track work along major roadways and in the rail corridor, says Schneader. The second phase will involve installing traffic signals, fare collection and electrical power systems, and construction of four park-and-ride lots and the vehicle storage and maintenance facility (being constructed by W.M. Scholsher). The contract to construct the four park-and-ride lots has yet to be awarded. The final phase will involve procurement and delivery of light rail vehicles (from Siemens USA) and additional buses.The TideÔÇÖs downtown section presented some major construction challenges, Schneader says. ÔÇ£Some of the underground infrastructure in the downtown area is more than 100 years old, so we really donÔÇÖt know what weÔÇÖll uncover underground. WeÔÇÖve done due diligence, but there still could be some surprises in store.ÔÇØThe major contractors are Bryant Construction and Skanska Civil USA. Bryant is responsible for building one of the more dramatic features of the systemÔÇöa 3,400-foot elevated track that crosses Brambleton Avenue, a major thoroughfare feeding downtown. ÔÇ£If youÔÇÖre running every seven minutes or so in either direction, that means you have a train passing every three minutes during peak rush hours, and we didnÔÇÖt want to block that major thoroughfare,ÔÇØ explains Schneader. Skanska is responsible for construction in the downtown section at the projectÔÇÖs east end alignment.Dominion Virginia Power has overseen significant amounts of infrastructure relocated to allow construction of the rail bed, says Schneader. ÔÇ£They are taking this opportunity to upgrade the networking grid in downtown Norfolk while theyÔÇÖre doing the relocation. We have a very good team in place, from our contractors to our partners at the City of Norfolk, as well as the private utility companies and our project management and construction management consulting teams.ÔÇØAnother challenge was working with businesses and residences that are affected by construction. ÔÇ£We have an excellent public involvement staff working with the public outreach staff of the city. They are engaged in helping residents understand this project as something that will benefit them and the city,ÔÇØ Schneader says.Hampton Roads Transit also had to procure rights-of-way and temporary construction easements. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre coordinating our work with businesses and some of the major entertainment and cultural events in the area to try to minimize the impact on them.ÔÇØThe Tide will be a watershed in the history of the area, Schneader says. ÔÇ£When light rail or commuter rail is introduced into an area, there is always a significant amount of transit-oriented development. You also generally see a rise in real estate values when you are in close proximity to a light rail station.ÔÇØSchneader says he is proud to be a part of this project, with its historical implications. It will change Hampton Roads for the better over time because of the business opportunities it will bring inÔÇöas well as the mobility opportunities it offers. ÔÇ£People can leave their cars at home and not have to worry about being stuck in traffic gridlock. If we extend out to Virginia Beach, people will then have the ability to get to the beach, to downtown Norfolk, and eventually to places beyond because of the vision of the multimodal network that will eventually connect light rail to commuter rail and high-speed rail. Imagine how wonderful it would be to be able to travel from Virginia Beach to Washington DC on mass transit.ÔÇØThe credit for this multimodal transit network goes to a few key people, says Schneader. ÔÇ£First of all, I have to acknowledge the vision of Hampton Roads Transit and especially our CEO, Michael Townes, the Norfolk City Council (and Councilman Randy Wright) and our commissioners. Norfolk is the starting point of this multimodal transit system, and this kind of project doesnÔÇÖt just happen. It was their vision that has gotten us to where we are today, and to where we are headed in the future. ItÔÇÖs quite an achievement for such a small city to have light rail transit. The larger network planned to connect all the Hampton Roads cities and beyond will definitely be a good model for the country.ÔÇØ ÔÇô Editorial research by Richard Halfhide