Town Meeting on High Speed Rail, Hampton Roads economic game-changer
Posted By HR Partnership on October 26, 2009
Click here for slides from the Town Hall meeting sponsored by the Future of Hampton Roads on Friday, October 23rd.
The Town Meeting kicked off with a panel, moderated by Clyde Hoey of Future of Hampton Roads (FHR). The panel consisted of retired RADM Ray Taylor (President, FHR), Louis Guy (Civil Engineer, retired Director of Norfolk Public Works), Brad Face (President, Face International Co. and member of Virginians for High Speed Rail) and Gil Yochum (Professor of Economics, Old Dominion University) who provided varying views on the High Speed Rail (HSR) subject. FHR speakers (Clyde, Ray and Louis) postulated that this is a “defining moment in the future of Hampton Roads’ economic health and quality of life, one that will affect the region over the next 50 years.” Planning for high speed rail’s Southeast Corridor has gone on since the early 90s. Hampton Roads was part of the “main line” on the original conceptual plans. North Carolina ran the tri-state commission tasked with finalizing plans. Studies were completed in 2000 and produced an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement), and Hampton Roads, as a result, is no longer part of the proposed “main line.” In 2001, 18 public hearings were held prior to the Final EIS and ROD (Record of Decision), none of which were held in Hampton Roads. “If we do nothing, Hampton Roads may become a cul de sac.”
Interest in HSR has now been reactivated with the potential availability of federal monies from the Obama administration. The Richmond to Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Study ( R2HR ) is undergoing modifications resulting from Federal Rail Administration (FRA) comment and should be completed in early 2010, but “no one is involved in the process on behalf of Hampton Roads.” Ray characterized the R2HR project as a “family feud between the two sides of the river.” He pointed to slide 5 with the 40 largest MSAs; only 3 regions are not on the “main line”: Phoenix (middle of the desert), Denver (isolated in mountains) and Hampton Roads, “the most important region in North America not on the ‘main line’.” We are behind, we need to catch-up and the process needs to be repaired, as emphasized by Mayors Paul Fraim (Norfolk) and Will Sessoms (Virginia Beach) at a recent Hampton Roads’ Urban Land Institute meeting. The STAA’s (Surface Transportation Authorization Act) next 6-year plan includes $500 Billion in funding, $50 Billion of which is designated for HSR.
According to Louis Guy, we are “wasting time seeking answers to the wrong questions,” and Hampton Roads is at the same place now with rail as we were 50 years ago with the planning of the federal highway system, which left the region with only one interstate connection. “Hampton Roads hasn’t been at the planning table for the last 20 years.” Addressing the maps provided, “North Carolina used a different process than Virginia to determine routes. NC solved their connection issues with a loop to connect more cities to rail.” “We’ve been advised that no funding is available to Hampton Roads if we do not agree to routes already established in plans, if we “rock the boat.” “It’s not too late for Hampton Roads; paper decisions can be reversed.”
Brad Face, a regional advocate and volunteer with Virginians for High Speed Rail (VHSR), said Hampton Roads hasn’t been taken seriously in the past, because we have no political will. “Let’s grab what we can get and not be left out.” “Light rail currently under construction was positioned as a ‘feeder system’ to support HSR in order to sell it.” Both sides of Hampton Roads Harbor must be served and can be accomplished by improved rail on the Peninsula and a new High Speed Rail – designated route on the Southside. Mayors on the Peninsula agree. If we move along with the process as-is, we could have HSR service to South Hampton Roads within 2 years, down the 460 corridor.” Our geography does not lend itself to “through service” on the established “main line.” Hampton Roads could be the Southern Terminus of HSR on the east coast as Boston is the Northern Terminus. Yes, we’ve been “asleep at the switch,” because we never thought HSR would even happen. And, in all fairness to NC, they’re spent millions of dollars to develop an intrastate rail system, and Virginia has not. We should not “upset the apple cart” and ask for a bend in the established line or we will lose out. We have opportunities here. Amtrak is looking for southern locations for its trains due to backups at DC’s Union Station. Downtown Norfolk, especially with its connection to light rail and existing population center, is the best location for a main station in South Hampton Roads.
Face cautioned, though, “we are fully capable of fumbling this” due to the way we make decisions in Hampton Roads. And, he cited examples: (1) the Norfolk Airport is not a hub and Charlotte is; we don’t have the second runway required. Why? It would have been in a different city and (2) we turned down a second Midtown Tunnel about 10 years ago because we didn’t want to pay a toll; now, we’ll be paying much more and a private company will prosper from it.
Gil Yochum, Professor of Economics at ODU, referenced slide 13 “Ten Emerging Economic Mega Regions” which HSR is designed to connect. Hampton Roads is in an enviable position in terms of economic development situated between the Northeast and Piedmont/Atlantic Mega Regions. He also pointed out the positive attributes of HSR: increased business access, reduced congestion and potential reductions in air pollution. He estimates that 5,000-7,000 sustained jobs would be created in the region as a result of HSR with tourism, DoD and related private industries benefiting the most. Dr. Yochum stated that South Hampton Roads stands to lose the most without HSR. “Anything less than HSR is worthless.”
Comments made during Q&A included: HSR could be an economic game-changer. We can be part of the Northeast Corridor if we get in the game now.
Attendees were encouraged to participate in the special HRTPO High Speed Rail Meeting (Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization) on Friday, October 30th from 11:30am to 1:30pm. Surveys collected at the FHR Town Meeting will be submitted to the HRTPO as part of the public comment period. The meeting was ended with this charge to attendees: “we must speak with one voice for Hampton Roads, take the initiative, your opinion makes a difference.”
And from the younger audience members: 
At the Town Hall Meeting for High Speed Rail, a live-blogged report by Hannah Seranno
How Your Lunch This Friday Will shape History by Grant Cothran
both of AltDaily.com, the hyper-local, independent alternative web magazine for news, arts, and culture in the Hampton Roads area.
Comments
2 Responses to “Town Meeting on High Speed Rail, Hampton Roads economic game-changer”
Leave a Reply
Please note: Comment moderation is currently enabled so there will be a delay between when you post your comment and when it shows up. Patience is a virtue; there is no need to re-submit your comment.
RE: The Richmond to Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Study ( R2HR ) is undergoing modifications resulting from Federal Rail Administration (FRA) comment and should be completed in early 2010, but “no one is involved in the process on behalf of Hampton Roads.”
Hampton Roads is represented in the process by Dana Dickens, President and CEO of Hampton Roads Partnership, and Aubrey Layne, President of Great Atlantic Management, who both sit on the Commonwealth Transportation Board, http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/, the Virginia Governor-appointed Board who will vote on the final recommendation that goes to FRA.
Mayors met over lunch and laid out a new rail plan
By Austin Bogues
10:17 p.m. EST, November 8, 2009
The Peninsula’s hopes for high-speed rail were dealt a severe blow at the end of October when the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization endorsed a route that follows the Route 460 corridor south of the James River from Richmond to Norfolk.
The organization’s board, which is made up of local elected officials, voted unanimously for the southern route for high-speed rail. In return, the endorsed plan calls for enhancing the existing passenger rail line on the Peninsula to increase both the frequency and speed of the trains.
Board members took pains to avoid describing the agreement as a compromise, or concession.
Several Peninsula leaders were absent from the vote including Newport News Mayor Joe Frank, who was at a funeral, and Williamsburg Mayor Jeanne Zeidler, who had a conflicting City Council meeting, though they expressed support for the plan. Hampton Mayor Molly Joseph Ward voted for the resolution, despite some reservations about not discussing it with her City Council before voting.
The vote was a major step, as fights over transportation plans have frequently divided the Peninsula from South Hampton Roads.
The mayors said it was important to act now or the region would run the risk of being left out of the Obama administration’s plans for a national high speed rail system.
In March, the state will have the opportunity to request a portion of nearly $8 billion allocated for building the rail lines in the stimulus bill Congress passed last February. The long-term goal is to create a rail system that will allow travelers to board an early morning train in Hampton Roads that will allow them to reach as far as Washington, D.C., without a transfer.
The plan endorsed by HRTPO calls for the route to flow from Richmond through Petersburg and along Route 460 to Norfolk. It calls for at least one additional train to be added to the Peninsula, where rail service is plagued by frequent delays. Currently, the Peninsula is the only source of passenger rail in Hampton Roads.
In late September, while at an unrelated conference in Virginia Beach, Mayors Frank, Ward, William Sessoms of Virginia Beach and Paul Fraim of Norfolk held a meeting over lunch to hash out issues regarding rail.
The four dined at the Lucky Star restaurant in the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center Hotel.
Prior to that meeting, Frank had been a vocal advocate of a plan that brought high-speed rail, which generally travels at speeds above 79 mph, to both the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads. Frank said that, prior to that meeting, South Hampton Roads mayors “sort of paid really no attention to the legitimate needs and concerns of the Peninsula.”
“My goal in public life has been to bring the two sides of the water together,” he said. “I think that coming together regionally is an important economic issue.”
Fraim said all sides took a pragmatic approach.
Frank said experts told him it would be very difficult to build a high-speed system on the Peninsula because the rail line could not be laid in a straight line to South Hampton Roads.
He said building high-speed rail on the Peninsula would shave only 10 to 15 minutes from the trip from Richmond to Newport News, but the cost would be significantly higher.
And travelers would not be able to continue from Newport News to Norfolk without the construction of a multibillion-dollar third crossing, which no one expects to happen soon.
Both Frank and Ward said the main concern on the Peninsula was increased service, reliability and frequency of trains.
Norfolk’s Mayor Fraim said, “Our position was, we want what you guys already have — passenger rail. We’re willing to support and enhance what you all have, but we’re not asking for a lot from you,” he said, referring to supporting a South Hampton Roads rail route.
Later, via correspondence, the leaders were able to come to agreement along with Williamsburg Mayor Zeidler.
“Newport News fully and wholeheartedly supports improving higher-speed train service to Hampton Roads, regardless of the alternative chosen by the state,” Frank wrote.
“If we are constantly at odds and we can’t come to a regional solution, we get nothing,” Ward said.
All parties involved said they were impressed by the urgency and leadership shown by Sessoms, the newcomer to the group and chairman of HRTPO. Ward said Sessoms was able to “get to the heart of issue and be succinct.”
Sessoms added that failing to speak as one voice for the region, “would just give the feds one more reason not to give us funding.”
While the group’s endorsement represents a unified view of the issue for Hampton Roads, the ultimate decision will be made by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
The economic impact of the decision on the Peninsula is still unclear.
The Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance has signaled that the plan for enhanced service on the Peninsula route was satisfactory.
“We look very favorably at all aspects of high-speed rail, or increased service to our area. It’s not such a matter of high speed as just more predictable and reliable,” said Linda Stanier, a spokeswoman for the group.
Dottie Jordan, president of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, agreed. “Our position is that we want high-speed rail in Hampton Roads,” she said.
Copyright © 2009, Newport News, Va., Daily Press