Getting Here, Going There Business: Transportation
The Tide, Virginia’s first light rail system, extends 7.4 miles from the Eastern Virginia Medical Center downtown Norfolk to I-264 at Newtown Road.
“Transportation and connectivity is the key to being competitive. It relates to quality of life improvements, tourism, port, etc. We must have strong transportation for all of this to work,” said one citizen. Hampton Roads has its transportation issues as does any metropolitan region. When working together as a region to improve mobility within tough budgets on all levels, congestion mitigation is the answer, including development of public-private partnerships to add new and/or improve existing bridges and tunnels, growing the use of telecommuting, enlisting technology, considering transit-oriented development and identifying funding models, especially for development of high-speed rail and enhanced intercity rail.
Planning Ahead
The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, the intergovernmental body responsible for planning transportation in Hampton Roads, is developing its 2034 Long Range Plan. Also, a Transit Vision Plan for Hampton Roads is in process and proposes that an integrated, high-capacity transit system will help address some of the region’s social, environmental, and economic challenges interrelated to land use and
sustainability and will address bicycle and pedestrian projects as well. Here is a link of upcoming transportation projects in Hampton Roads: http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/hampton%20roads/ default.asp
Roads, Tunnels, Bridges and Ferries
Because of the abundance of waterways, the Hampton Roads’ transportation network is heavily dependent on and utilizes a number of methods to get around the water surrounding its communities. It is an effective but aging transportation system. In fact, Hampton Roads has more tunnels connectiong its communities than any other region in the U.S. Tunnels, bridges and ferries enhance Hampton Roads residents’ ability to go from one area to the other and beyond. Hampton Roads’ interstates form a big loop or beltway around the region. The inner loop follows I-64 east and I-664 north. The outer loop follows I-64 west and I-664 south. Due west of the region are the principal north-south interstate highways, I-85 and I-95. Through Southampton County, I-95 is located just four miles west of the region. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel gives northeast coastal highway traffic direct access to Hampton Roads and saves 90 miles (145 kilometers) to the New York/ New Jersey corridor.
Several roadway expansion or enhancement projects are underway including one to improve intermodal access to Norfolk International Terminals. Major regional projects completed in recent years include the Pinners Point Connector in Portsmouth, Route 17 in Chesapeake, the Chesapeake Expressway, widening of I-64 in Hampton/Newport News and the Southwest Suffolk Bypass. The regions newest South Norfolk Jordan Bridge spans the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River and includes a pedestrian friendly sidewalk with quick connections to I-464 and I-264. The fixed, high-rise bridge is the tallest in Virginia and not subject to openings for maritime traffic. It also has been designated an official Virginia truck route without height or weight restrictions. A 15-minute ferry that connects the Scotland area in Surry County with the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown is maintained by the state, providing highway commuters a very affordable highway alternative. Per capita vehicle miles traveled has remained relatively stable over the last 10 years, suggesting that commuting distances are relatively short.39
public transit service
Hampton Roads Transit, with over 55 fixed routes and 300 buses, provides
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