http://www.wvec.com/my-city/norfolk/Vote-expected-on-a-study-to-extend-light-rail-service-175478921.html
NORFOLK -- It's been more than a year since city officials in Norfolk discussed a light rail extension study to Naval Station Norfolk, but new ridership numbers are reigniting their interest.
The next step is pursuing a series of studies that would allow federal funding on the extension, which Council agreed to do at Tuesady night's meeting.
Meanwhile, Navy commuters are dealing with daily traffic near the base.
"The traffic here is terrible all the time," said sailor Rio Wolfgeher.
"It's especially bad in the morning."
The studies could take years as engineer examine potential routes to the base. Military Highway, Granby Street, Colley Avenue and Hampton Boulevard are all considered potential options.
"If they do get it out to the naval station, it will change a lot of things around here," said Norfolk resident James Brooks.
When voters in Virginia Beach go to the polls in two weeks, they will have their say on whether the resort city should pursue extending the light rail to their city.
Would possible rail in Jax in any way help NAS? Maybe I don't know the route / distances to possible stops well enough.
The corridor to Green Cove Springs would serve NAS very well. I'm moving to Downtown from near base soon, and the route (along Roosevelt/US-17) would be great, as it would help out commuters from OP/Green Cove Springs get to both base and Downtown. However, a large chunk of people (particularly young or single people) live in Southside/Mandarin/JCP. No planned routes that I'm aware of would make rail very appealing to them.
...so that would serve well an application for federal funds...
Quote from: Jdog on October 24, 2012, 02:25:56 PM
Would possible rail in Jax in any way help NAS? Maybe I don't know the route / distances to possible stops well enough.
Yes Jdog, the route will leave from the historic JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL (Prime Osborn) downtown, it will run on the existing railroad tracks. I expect stops at Edgewood/MURRAY HILL - San Juan/LAKESHORE - Yukon/NAS JAX - Kingsley Avenue/ORANGE PARK - CR220/DOCTORS LAKE - CR209B/RUSSELL - North Orange Avenue/MAGNOLIA SPRINGS - SR16/GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Palmetto Bluff Road/BOSTWICK - North 11Th St/PALATKA.
There has been a 'trend' in our planning to include stations at King Street, Edgewood, FSCJ, San Juan, Timuquana, Yukon and Wells Road. The truth is, if we want the system to work efficiently enough to attract riders we'll scrap all but about 2 of those stops. IF this were Light-Rail, it could easily make all of those stops, but a commuter train is a different animal (think short AMTRAK train).
This is where BRT could actually help solve many problems, I would suggest Riverside to Post to Cassat and Normandy. Once the buses reach this corner, its a straight shot down Normandy, Cassat, Lane, Lenox, or Edgewood/Norwood. Post is by far the best connection to the west side.
This is the 'new' commuter trains in Portland, Oregon. Hopefully before JTA tries to reinvent the wheel, someone will take a long hard look at these remanufactured work horses.
http://www.youtube.com/v/HW7zpd3Dvmc?version=3&hl=en_US
I'm not a fan of introducing BRT on Post Street through Riverside. It's a residential street.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Other/mi/i-2wQqnk4/0/M/Post-1-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Other/mi/i-wmttkVm/0/M/Post-2-M.jpg)
To accommodate BRT, you're looking at eliminating all on-street parking and introducing a ton of bus traffic through areas like the two shown above.
Quote from: Jdog on October 24, 2012, 02:25:56 PM
Would possible rail in Jax in any way help NAS? Maybe I don't know the route / distances to possible stops well enough.
There would be a stop at NAS Jax....
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-5959-jta-final-station03.png)
Norfolk Southern??
with an office at 4250 Lakeside Dr., in the Marina Mile?? [www.jacksonvillemarinamile.com]
on CSX A-line?
OR
Was this thread intended to discuss VA??
Norfolk, Virginia.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Transit/Hampton-Tide-Light-Rail/i-NkdsRHS/0/M/6076724235306fd5955eb-M.jpg)
Quote from: thelakelander on October 24, 2012, 04:51:00 PM
I'm not a fan of introducing BRT on Post Street through Riverside. It's a residential street.
To accommodate BRT, you're looking at eliminating all on-street parking and introducing a ton of bus traffic through areas like the two shown above.
Post is a 3 lane street west of the CSX, and north/east of the tracks you'd use both College and Post. Currently there is hourly bus service on two different routes WS7 and WS12 serving POST ST and the POST/COLLEGE ST combination. Once you get to Cassat/Normandy/Lenox, that blossoms into 4 different routes, going in all directions: WS7, WS12, P3, L8, Edgewood Shuttle. The BRT addition would amount to no more then 3 more buses per hour then we currently have to achieve 15 minute headways, hardly a traffic changer. With timed signals the BRT could hustle from downtown to the foot of Normandy and you'd hardly have to change anything. It's the foot of Normandy, at the Lenox, Normandy, Cassat-Edgewood, Post 'triangle' that sets this route apart because the triangle already has many routes and frequent service, it just lacks the speedy link with Riverside and downtown that a few extra buses would provide.
From my understanding, JTA's BRT lines will be used as transit spines. So they'll have several local bus routes operating on them in addition to the branded high frequency BRT bus. With the new director, this may change but as of right now, that's how this stuff has been presented. In this scenario, BRT is not suitable for residential streets.