High Speed Rail in Hampton Roads, or are we a cul-de-sac?

With the availability of more than $9.3 billion in federal stimulus money set aside for faster trains, the state is evaluating its rail options. Hampton Roads regional officials are pushing for high-speed passenger train service to Hampton Roads.

Mayor Paul Fraim has argued that the southern route makes better sense because the Southside has nearly 70% of the region’s population and a higher concentration of employment centers and military and port operations. The train could connect with Norfolk’s light rail line – now under construction – at a multi-modal center at Harbor Park. "It is the single most important transportation issue for the region's future," Fraim said.


Newport News Mayor Joe Frank has said, "I'd like to see if we can get high-speed rail to both the Peninsula and Southside," Frank said. "We need to do that cooperatively, so it's not an either-or kind of approach."

Leaving Hampton Roads out of a high-speed rail network, officials say, would further isolate Hampton Roads, possibly dealing a serious blow to the region's economy. The region was bypassed by the interstate highway system when the Virginia sections of Interstates 95 and 85 were built. But because the region is divided by water, serving both the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads may be prohibitively expensive.

"That's going to be a tough vote for the region," said Dana Dickens, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Partnership. "And it very likely could generate some difficult positions for people."

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT ) is working on a study of the alternatives for connecting Hampton Roads to Richmond and the rest of the nation via higher-speed rail (maximum speeds of 90 mph). A draft should be available by summer, after which public hearings would be scheduled.


State officials have said that before high-speed rail comes to Hampton Roads, the Washington, D.C.-to-Richmond segment must be completed. From Richmond, the rail could go south to North Carolina or east to Hampton Roads, or both.

"If it goes to North Carolina without coming to Hampton Roads, that would be a real blow to us," the Partnership's Dickens said. "It's going to be incumbent on all the 1.6 million people of Hampton Roads and the elected officials to get behind whatever the decision is on a preferred route so we do get service."

Excerpts from The Virginian-Pilot, Debbie Messina, reporter.
Graphics from DRPT.

Unparalleled Success in Uncertain Times, Newport News State of the City is exceptional

Newport News experienced a year of stunning, positive economic investment announcements totaling nearly $2 billion in the city.

"The message here is we are not going to be as severely impacted like other places because of the investments we made in bringing in these industries and bringing growth to the community," said Newport News Mayor Joe S. Frank.

Mayor Joe Frank and Governor Timothy Kaine were joined by a panel of business and community leaders for the State of the City Summit. Panelists included Dr. Larry Filer, Associate Professor of Economics and Research Fellow for the Old Dominion University Economic Forecasting Project; Takayoshi Hanagata, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canon Virginia, Inc.; William H. Hudnut, III, former four-term mayor of Indianapolis and Congressman, author, public speaker, and TV commentator; Brigadier General Brian R. Layer, Commanding General, Fort Eustis; Dr. Hugh Montgomery, President of Jefferson Science Associates and Director of Jefferson Lab, Jefferson Lab; Mike Petters, Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding - Newport News; Kregg Wiggins, Senior Vice President, Powertrain North America, Continental).

In April 2008, Canon announced a $623.5 million expansion of its local plant, generating more than 1,000 jobs over several years. AREVA Newport News, the nuclear reactor collaboration with Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, also said it would invest $363 million in its new Newport News plant and create 540 jobs. In December, Continental AG, a fuel injection production company, announced its transfer of 318 jobs and $194 million investment to Newport News from South Carolina.

What's the secret?

Newport News offers a unique mixture of consistent, long-term planning that creates a solid pro-business environment that includes many long-standing relationships, he said. In addition, urban perks such as good schools, work force training, medical, recreational and cultural facilities like the Ferguson Center for the Arts add to the city's appeal, Mayor Frank said.

"All these things give people a sense that Newport News is an attractive place to work, live and raise a family," Frank said.

Like other localities across the region, Newport News is wrestling with rapidly shrinking tax and state dollars. "These projects didn't just happen overnight. It's taken a long time," Florence Kingston, Economic Development Director, said. "It's more than just a piece of real estate or an incentive package (to attract these businesses)."

During the Newport News Summit, Mayor Joe Frank also announced that Pepsi is investing in a $20-million dollar expansion to their existing business in Newport News. It will be a 16,000 sq. ft. expansion that will create 15 new jobs.

Also at the Summit, ODU Economics Professor Larry Filer explained the results of his study showing a ripple effect from that job growth. "The initial job creation of say 3,360 jobs may generate somewhere around 3,200 other jobs in the region maybe as many as 600 more jobs in the City," says Filer.

HRMPO 101 on WhatMatters.TV

What is the HRMPO? The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization is the intergovernmental transportation planning body for thirteen jurisdictions in Hampton Roads. If you’ve ever been worried about traffic tie-ups in Hampton Roads and you’ve wanted to know how you can find out about the planning process, then you should know about the HRMPO.

Recently, "What Matters" host Cathy Lewis spoke with HRPDC/HRMPO Executive Director, Dwight Farmer; HRPDC/HRMPO member and Newport News Mayor Joe Frank; and Virginia Beach Taxpayer's Alliance Chair, John Moss, for an in-depth look at this little known, federally-mandated, entity that has a major impact on the Hampton Roads transportation issue.


City of Newport News Mayor Joe Frank:
"...it doesn't appear that we're going to have substantial investment in new road programs for the foreseeable future and, I might add, if you had all the money you needed to do these things today, you'd be talking 10 to 15 years before all of the processes took place, the environmental studies, the acquisitions, the engineering studies and the construction so you could actually ride on those roads and then you have the question of what the population is going to be, what are the ridership, what are the needs."

"So, one of the things that I have suggested, and not through the PDC or the MPO, but through the Hampton Roads Partnership, is that they convene the leaders of the largest traffic generators in the region, the colleges, the universities, the military bases, the large manufacturers, the ship yards and so forth, to see if we couldn't voluntarily, because we have no legal basis for requiring it, voluntarily asking these people to consider staggering the times they open and the times they close. If, through that, and you model and simulate that in a very real time way...the data suggests that you could defer the need for all these new road projects for 10 or 15 years, and maybe by that time...you find a way to actually pay for what you've determined you actually need."


Original air date: Fri, Jan 30, 2009
See the complete show: http://www.whro.org/home/html/podcasts/whatmatters/144.mp4

Newport News and HRMPO acting regionally

In a Daily Press article by Sabne Hirschauler on December 19, 2008, it was reported that the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Organization* voted to shift $3 million in Newport News light rail dollars to the city of Norfolk to cover current cost overruns as well as $1.5 million to Virginia Beach.

Newport News had approximately $10.2 million in federal grant money for its light-rail study, which would have paid for preliminary engineering reports and environmental studies. Because of Newport News’ slim chances to get light rail anytime soon, Mayor Joe Frank agreed to the shift of funds so it could be used for the region. This is a long-term vision for a regional light rail system for a regional metropolitan area.

According to online commenters: when southside cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach have a functioning line, then the peninsula and Portsmouth should connect. Light rail would be successful region-wide because of its connectivity to a stable/viable light rail system. These things have to be done in order and in good measure.

* Federal regulations require that urbanized areas throughout the United States have a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to conduct a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning process. Urbanized areas are defined as areas with a population of 200,000 or greater.

For the complete Daily Press article, click HERE.