Bumper-to-bumper traffic is America’s collective nightmare, and like the movie Groundhog Day it repeats on a daily basis.

Congestion consumes billions of gallons of fuel, wastes hundreds of billions of dollars in productivity and causes billions of stress headaches. Yet over 100 million automobile commuters each day feel like they have little option. “We put so much of our national wealth and our identity into the whole motoring thing,” says James Howard Kunstler, author of Geography of Nowhere, “that we can’t imagine doing something different.”

Anthony Downs, author of Stuck in Traffic has identified four reasons for America’s congestion problem, also applicable to most European and Asian economies:

• first, most of us work during the same hours of the day;
• second, the country’s economic success has allowed households to buy multiple cars;
• third, there are more people now than when most roadways were conceived;
• fourth, more cars means more accidents which means more delays.

In other words, this problem isn’t going anywhere. So the Daily Beast set out to figure out the worst of the worst. It was a two-step process, done with data from traffic-tracking firm INRIX, which culls information nationwide from more than 1.5 million GPS units, mostly in freight trucks.

First step was ranking the metropolitan areas with the worst rush-hour congestion. The order is based on the peak hour Travel Time Index (TTI) for the metropolitan area each highway is in. TTI is a measure of how much longer it takes to complete a road journey during peak congestion hours compared to free-flow hours. (Peak hours are defined as 6 a.m. to 10a.m., and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.) Speeds during non-peak hours are used by INRIX to establish this free-flow baseline.

After determining the 75 worst metro areas, then the worst highway was found in each, defined as the most hours of bottleneck congestion, as reported by INRIX. The rankings then provide a still deeper look—at the most congested bottleneck segment for the worst highway in each area.

Here are the top 18, starting with Hampton Roads:

• #18, I-264, Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 97 Worst bottleneck: Westbound, City Hall Ave/Exit 10 Length of worst bottleneck: .15 mi Weekly hours of congestion on worst bottleneck: 28 Speed of worst bottleneck when congested: 8.9 mph
  Commuter Buzz: “We’re the second-largest region in the state by population and we had a year in which there’s no interstate funding—I just didn’t want to set that precedent,” Aubrey Layne told the Virginian-Pilot in December 2009, after securing a $7.7 million in state funds for updates to the I-64/264 interchange.
• #17, I-494, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 184
• #16, I-5, Portland, OR Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 238
• #15, Loop 820, surrounds Dallas-Fort Worth Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 172
• #14, Southeast Expressway, Boston, MA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 305
• #13, I-10, Baton Rouge, LA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 93
• #12, Loop 610, surrounds Houston Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 189
• #11, Bayshore Freeway (US 101), San Jose, CA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 231
• #10, Airport Expressway (State Road 112), Miami Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 183
• #9, Kennedy Expressway, Chicago, IL Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 712
• #8, I-95, Bridgeport, CT Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 272
• #7, I-5, Seattle, WA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 256
• #6, Cross Bronx Expressway, New York City, NY Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 421
• #5, James Lick Freeway (US 101), San Francisco, CA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 190
• #4, I-35, Austin, TX Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 460
• #3, Capital Beltway, surrounds Washington, DC Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 194
• #2, Lunalilo Freeway (H-1), Honolulu, HI Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 347
• #1, Hollywood Freeway, Los Angeles, CA Weekly hours of bottleneck congestion: 686

And the rest of the top 50 worst commutes:

• #19, San Diego Freeway (I-5), San Diego, CA
• #20, Schuylkill Expressway, Philadelphia, PA
• #21, Baltimore Beltway, surrounds Baltimore, MD
• #22, I-75, Atlanta, GA
• #23, I-275, Tampa, FL
• #24, I-25, Denver, CO
• #25, Riverside Freeway, Riverside, CA
• #26, Ronald Reagan Freeway, Oxnard, CA
• #27, I-10, New Orleans, LA
• #28, I-91, New Haven, CT
• #29, Papago Freeway (I-10), Phoenix, AZ
• #30, Penn Lincoln Parkway (I-376), Pittsburgh, PA
• #31, Capital City Freeway, Sacramento, CA
• #32, I-15, Las Vegas, NV
• #33, I-84, Hartford, CT
• #34, I-94, Milwaukee, WI
• #35, East Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC
• #36, I-75, Cincinnati, OH
• #37, I-65, Birmingham, AL
• #38, Loop 410, surrounds San Antonio, TX
• #39, Edsel Ford Freeway (I-94), Detroit, MI
• #40, I-10, El Paso, TX
• #41, I-195, Providence, RI
• #42, I-90, Cleveland, OH
• #43, I-26, Charleston, SC
• #44, I-40, Nashville, TN
• #45, I-270, St. Louis, MO
• #46, I 4, Orlando, FL
• #47, I-24, Chattanooga, TN
• #48, I-95, Jacksonville, FL
• #49, I-65, Louisville, KY
• #50, I-40, Raleigh, NC

Last year, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization reached pretty much the same conclusion. It singled out the Downtown Tunnel as having the longest recurring afternoon delay in the region, about triple any other thoroughfare.

“Pound for pound, the Downtown Tunnel is about as bad as it gets for congestion,” said Dwight Farmer, the organization’s executive director.

“That’s not necessarily something to be proud of, but it surely makes our case – we need some help.”

Excerpts and photo from The Daily Beast; Clark Merrefield was the chief reporter and writer for this ranking. Additional reporting by Debbie Messina, The Virginian-Pilot.

$1 Million for Craney Island Included in President’s Budget

from the Port of Virginia; for larger, downloadable images, click on each graphic

The development of Craney Island Marine Terminal has taken another step forward as $1 million for the project has been included in the President’s proposed 2010-2011 federal budget.

“This, we believe, clearly demonstrates the Obama Administration’s commitment to this strategic project,” said Jerry A. Bridges, executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “Our thanks goes to the White House and to Virginia’s delegation on Capitol Hill that pushed for inclusion in the budget. Reaching this point required tremendous effort and we truly appreciate it.

“When you look at this project as a whole, it will be very good for Virginia and the national economy. It will create jobs and taxable wages near- and long-term, and reduce the cost of getting goods to the store shelves.”

A study conducted in 2005 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the long-term benefit of building Craney Island Marine Terminal would be savings of $6 billion that would not have to be invested by the federal government in large transportation infrastructure projects. The study says the project would generate 54,000 jobs with wages of $1.7 billion and local tax revenues of $155 million.

“There is no doubt that this project is important to The Port of Virginia, with benefits well beyond the Commonwealth,” said U.S. Sen. Jim Webb. “The President’s budget demonstrates a commitment to continued federal investment in the development and expansion of Craney Island. At the same time, we continue to believe that the merits of the project argue strongly for federal funding at levels even higher than those proposed by the President.”

Construction of the Craney Island Marine Terminal is a $2.2 billion multiphase project that will result in the newest, most modern marine terminal in the United States: a 600-acre complex encompassing 8,400 linear feet of berth space, 20 Suez-class cranes and an on-terminal intermodal (rail) container transfer facility [ICTF]. The marine terminal will be built in three phases over the next 20-25 years and upon completion have capacity for at least 2.5 million TEUs.

“I am pleased that the President’s budget recognizes the economic importance that the development of Craney Island has for Virginia and the nation,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner. “This vital infrastructure investment will create thousands of jobs in the region and enhance our competitiveness in the global economy.  While this proposed funding advances the expansion effort for Craney Island, I will continue working with my colleagues in the Congressional delegation to press for additional federal support for this initiative.”

Work on the first phase is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2011 and finish in 2019 or 2020. This phase includes 220 acres of container yard, 3,000 linear feet of berth space, eight cranes and the ICTF.

“Expanding Craney Island will have huge benefits for Hampton Roads and our national economy and this funding demonstrates that the Administration is committed to making this project a priority,” said U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye.

The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, reporting to the state Secretary of Transportation. The VPA owns and operates four general cargo facilities on behalf of the state: Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal and the Virginia Inland Port in Warren County. The terminals are operated by Virginia International Terminals, Inc. (VIT) the non-stock, non-profit operating company. The VPA, through terminal earnings generated by VIT, is operationally self-sufficient. The VPA and correlating maritime industry is responsible for 343,000 jobs, $41 billion in total revenues throughout the Commonwealth.

Ever wonder how this new terminal will be built? See this presentation by the Army Corps of Engineers.

We’re on board with high speed rail…

Over 500 regional residents,  public officials and private citizens alike, jammed into Norfolk’s Half Moone Cruise Terminal on the evening of January 28^th. Only negative comment heard during this Virginia Dept. of Rail and Public Transit’s (DRPT) federal hearing? Not enough seats! The crowd was standing room only!

What is the economic impact of bringing high speed rail to Hampton Roads? According to Mike Barrett, Chair of the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance (HREDA), it’s $3 Billion and 30,000 jobs. As the 36th largest metropolitan area, this region deserves high speed rail. “Proximity equates to prosperity,” said Barrett. “We will see immediate return on investment from day one.”

New DRPT Director (and former Virginia legislator and U.S. Congressman), Thelma Drake, arrived late to the event due to a disabled car in the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT). Drake explained that the mission of the DRPT is to expand the state’s transportation choices and increase mobility, adding that tonight’s crowd should show the federal government how critically important this project is to the citizens of the region.

Norfolk City Mayor Paul Fraim welcomed everyone and mentioned the announcement today of the $8 Billion in first-round awards for the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program and how Virginia fared. (see White House Press Release)*

L to R: Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, CTB members Aubrey Layne, Dana Dickens

According to Mayor Fraim, this announcement increases the likelihood for and well positions the region to eventually win stimulus dollars to build a high-speed rail line from Richmond to Hampton Roads via Norfolk and upgrading the existing line for improved service on the Peninsula.

Fraim turned to DRPT and CTB (Commonwealth Transportation Board) members and said that the people are speaking clearly, the only message you’ve heard at public meetings so far… “nothing could be more clear, nothing could be more important” than bringing high speed rail to Hampton Roads.

Mayor Fraim also shared a heartfelt “thank you to the Peninsula” who “correctly and courageously designated Southside” as the appropriate location for Hampton Roads’ high speed rail corridor.

Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, Chair of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) echoed Mayor Fraim’s remarks and added that changes were needed to the Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project (R2HR) Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for  which this hearing was made available for public comment.

Mayor Sessoms indicated that the initial scenarios of a decade ago, and used in the Draft EIS, do not reflect current situations and must be addressed in the Final EIS. For example, the third crossing originally planned for the James River as an alternate to the HRBT or the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT), will not be built in any foreseeable future and is not a factor. Also, the Obama administration has serious funding available for national passenger rail and an alternative should be included in the EIS that reflects true high speed rail, not just higher speed rail.

Insuring the economic health of the state’s urban centers should be a top priority for the Commonwealth, said Sessoms, and this consensus on high speed rail exhibits Hampton Roads’ ability to come together as one region. The region’s unanimous choice, as evidenced by TPO Resolution of October 30th and input at public hearings, is an enhanced version of Alternative #1:

Endorse the extension of high-speed rail service from Washington DC to Richmond/Petersburg and the Hampton Roads region, designating the Norfolk Southern/Route 460 corridor as the Regional High-Speed Rail corridor (110mph and 90% reliability) designated ultimately at speeds of more than 100mph. And, enhance the intercity passenger rail service (89mph and 90% reliability) along the CSX/I-64 corridor. The HRTPO position is best reflected in a strengthened alternative #1, which we strongly endorse.

DRPT Rail Chief Kevin Page addresses a standing room only crowd

Norfolk City Council Member and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) Board member Randy Wright spoke to the fact that the U.S. federal highway system passed Hampton Roads by 50 years ago, creating a cul de sac. Now, the region has a significant opportunity for a true multi-modal system with bus, intercity rail, taxi, light rail, cruises and ferries. “This is the way of the future, and we need to be part of it,” said Wright.

Hampton Roads’ CTB representative Aubrey Layne said, “I’m a native of this area, and I reside in Virginia Beach, but I live in Hampton Roads.” Layne noted that regional problems require regional solutions and thanked the leadership of the HRTPO for its “truly historic unanimous decision” recognizing that high speed rail is a matter of quality of life. “We do not want to miss this train,” added Layne.

DRPT’s Chief of Rail Transportation Kevin Page noted the unified, vocal support for Hampton Roads High Speed Rail from here to Richmond and then reviewed the process for everyone:

• The Federal Rail Administration (FRA) is lead federal agency and DRPT is the lead state agency.
• Once public comments have been received and considered, the CTB will select the preferred alternative. Many factors are considered, such as environmental impact, capital and operating costs, ridership, revenues, travel time and public preference.
• The Hampton Roads rail project must have “independent utility,” meaning it can be developed as a complete and independent project and has logical termini at each end.
• Draft EIS Alternatives “Status Quo,” “Baseline” do not support the purpose or the needs of the region nor are they logical based on factors such as population and improvements needed.
• The capital costs shown on the Draft EIS for Alternative #1 are slightly misleading. Twenty-four miles of rail for completing the Richmond to Petersburg section at a cost of $148.9 Million was included in the Richmond-Hampton Roads project analysis. However, the Raleigh-Richmond application also included this portion of the project and would, therefore, be deducted from the R2HR proposal.
• Once an alternative is selected, Tier 2 studies will dive deeper into environmental considerations.
• 90mph is listed as an optimum higher speed as current tracks used by freight rail may be used.
• DRPT will apply for Round 2 Track 2 ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act),i.e stimulus, funds to advance the preferred alternative and then prepare and submit the Final Tier 2 EIS to FRA.
• FRA determines the proposal’s eligibility for funding.

Suffolk Mayor Linda Johnson throws in her community’s support for the region’s High Speed Rail resolution

The PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION of the evening lasted more than 2 hours, limited to 40 speakers:

• Full support of the TPO Resolution was endorsed by all commenters, including Suffolk Mayor Linda Johnson on behalf of the citizens of her city.
• John Uhrin, Virginia Beach City Council member, who operates hotels and restaurants along the oceanfront cited his reasons for high speed rail as tourists and the jobs and tax revenue they create.  Tourism is big business in Hampton Roads, generating $1.1 Billion in Virginia Beach’s economy alone. According to surveys, 69% of visitors use HRBT for their trip and listed it as the top negative to their Hampton Roads experience. “High speed rail is the only project that can maintain the long-term viability of our region,” said Uhrin. Nancy Perry, Director of the Virginia Beach Hotel Motel Association, echoed Uhrin’s highlight of traffic congestion as a tourist deterrent and something that high speed rail could help solve.
• Rod Woolard, Director of the City of Norfolk’s Dept. of Development, reinforced the need for connection of national city centers by rail, noting that downtown Norfolk has 4.2 million square feet of office space as the region’s business hub, and deserving of true high speed rail.
• Sandy Harris, chair of the Norfolk Economic Development Authority, declared that true high speed rail was a real asset to business travelers and would provide 40-50% more ridership than estimated, more frequent and shorter trips than estimated, and better trains would encourage more riders as well.
• A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern shared that incremental improvements to existing NS rail line could be made for approximately $75 Million and in a period of just two 2 years.
• Mayor Fraim spoke again and stated that he and Mayor Sessoms were jointly submitting a 20-page “technical memorandum” to state officials seeking to correct errors they see in the Draft EIS “in the spirit of a supporting partner.” Fraim encouraged that these corrective actions be completed as quickly as possible. One action he pointed to: the economies of scale created with true high speed and its better service and frequency. Fraim also emphasized that all key stakeholders, including the freight rail companies, must be included at the planning table. As the Mayor ended his comments, he asked for anyone supporting the TPO’s Resolution to stand; nearly everyone in the room stood in Half Moone’s expansive central hall and with a round of rousing applause.
• Dwight Farmer, Executive Director of the HRTPO, also asked for DRPT to be expeditious with their work to complete the Tier I EIS in order to obtain a Record of Determination from FRA; at that time, the TPO will “aggressively implement the steps to achieve the region’s high speed rail goals.” The goal for completion of Tier 2 work is Spring 2010. Farmer shared the TPO Board’s appreciation of DRPT’s hard work, dedication and years of service on rail progress and said, “This region is ready to ride the rail.”
• With the largest concentration of federal and military personnel and assets outside of Washington DC, Frank Roberts, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facility Alliance (HRMFFA), expressed the serious national security need for high speed rail connecting Hampton Roads. “Washington to Hampton Roads is the ideal distance to be connected by rail,” said Roberts. He emphasized:
  • Travel between Hampton Roads and DC is constant and heavy with this stakeholder group;
  • Fort Lee (Combined Arms Support Command, south of Richmond in Petersburg) is tripling in size by 2011 as part of BRAC;
  • Only travel choices now are by car or air; rail would provide a better alternative with environmental benefits; and
  • Capturing non productive hours of federal and military employees would equate to federal savings of approximately $250,000 annually.
• Ray Taylor of Future of Hampton Roads, a 35-year old regional think tank, also congratulated the TPO on its historic resolution. And, he reinforced the idea that true high speed rail (110+mph) is needed to Hampton Roads in order to be compatible with the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) corridor as well as insure reliability, safety and quality of life.
• Bill Foster, President of TowneBank-Norfolk and President of the Greater Norfolk Corporation reported that his family has lived here for generations. High speed rail in Hampton Roads is “the tip of the proverbial iceberg” in terms of affordable travel options and offers the single best investment for rail in the nation.
• “Hampton Roads is ‘America’s First Region’ and shouldn’t be the last region with high speed rail,” said Dan Plaugher, Executive Director of Virginians for High Speed Rail. Plaugher also pointed to the announcement of the first round of stimulus awards, proclaiming that “Hampton Roads must be the southern termini of Northeast High Speed Rail (NEHSR) as Boston is the northernmost.”
• Resident George Crawley added, “I’m a native of Newport News (on the Peninsula), a resident of Norfolk, but I’m a regional guy.”
• Old Dominion University’s Vice President for Administration and Finance, Bob Fenning, shared some unique stats on behalf of ODU’s 2,200 faculty and staff and 24,000 students:  4,500 of their in-state students reside in Richmond and Northern Virginia, and the vast majority of faculty and staff must travel to Richmond and DC continuously. ODU’s out-of-state student population is heavily concentrated in the northeast.
• Karen Scherberger of Norfolk’s FestEvents, one of the largest special events organizations in the country,  also invoked the tourism benefits of high speed rail, sharing that 80% of Norfolk FestEvents attendees are from outside of Norfolk and 30% are from outside of the Hampton Roads region, particularly Richmond and DC areas. “According to the International Festival and Events Association, we have the largest concentration of festivals and events in the U.S. here,” said Scherberger. Visitors expenditures are five times that of residents, and we must mitigate traffic congestion to continue to attract tourists.
• Shurl Montgomery, CEO of $100 Million agency Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, reinforced the emergency evacuation need for high speed rail, especially for citizens with no other means of transportation.
• Kathy Nelson with Navy-Marine Corps Relief and a member of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce’s leadership group, spoke on behalf of the 1200-plus graduates of LEAD Hampton Roads. The current class of 55 took on high speed rail as a project because, she said, “we found that we were not well informed and neither were our friends, families and colleagues.” Nelson, a 27-year Navy veteran, added, “Like many sailors, we came here and stayed here; we fell in love with this region. We have the most infrastructure intensive region in the nation, though.” Nelson also delivered a message for Delegate John Cosgrove, who could not attend tonight’s hearing due to commitments with the current General Assembly sessions, that the Hampton Roads Caucus is in full support of the TPO’s Resolution for high speed rail.
• Local businessman, Bobby Wright, donning a striped rail conductor’s hat, said “most people had no idea there was federal money on the table,” alluding to the reason many citizens had not been engaged with the rail issue before tonight. He also pointed to the region’s “brain drain” and that we would lose more talented and educated civilians and military people without a connection to high speed rail. Invoking an informal Facebook poll about rail alternatives, Wright said that an enhanced Alternative #1 was the unofficial choice of poll respondents.
• Louis Guy, retired engineer, said, “this is a doctorate level course in public participation… I regret that we didn’t have this type of public meeting fifteen years ago.” Guy added that the interstate highway system didn’t happen overnight and encouraged all in attendance to have the wisdom and vision to be “in it for the long haul.” Guy also requested that an existing historic rail corridor to the southwest connecting Hampton Roads to Raleigh through Weldon, NC (“the first rail corridor to ever come to Hampton Roads”) should be added to the EIS for future study.
• Henry Rhyto, Chair of Hampton Roads Transit’s Transit Riders Advisory Committee (TRAC), reinforced comments made earlier about HRBT congestion and suggested that rail travel is a more effective alternative to air travel for trips less than 500 miles. “There is no road construction money; the only real alternative is rail money,” said Rhyto.
• Norfolk resident Chris Malendoski pointed out that Hampton Roads is the most populous MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) within the 1000 miles of coastline between New York City and Miami. Referencing Hampton Roads as ‘Pentagon South’, “I’m not sure why Virginia was shorted in today’s federal stimulus money awards. Use this adversity as a wake-up call; we cannot afford to be on auto-pilot,” said Malendoski.
• Ellis James, a Sierra Club member, said, “We can move forward, or we can stop dead in our tracks.” James supports enhanced Alternative #1 as well, adding that high speed rail has a lesser impact on the environment. “High speed rail can take tens of thousands of cars and trucks off the interstate. It helps the environment,” said James.
• Retired railroad engineer, Al Carpenter, said, “$1 spent on rail goes further than $1 spent on any other transportation mode.” He also encouraged DRPT to wisely locate the Petersburg station for future access to westward routes. “The new Newport News station should be located so we can use a ferry across the James (River),” Carpenter added.

Other residents added:

“My preferred alternative isn’t among the alternatives listed. I want trains to cross the James River from the Peninsula to the Southside and then to North Carolina. We are not a cul de sac; we are not a spur; we are a destination. Our motto should be ‘Start here, go everywhere’.”

“We’re light years behind Europe and Asia. I want dedicated tracks not shared with freight, with no grade crossings. I don’t want mediocre rail. It’s like putting a Clydesdale in the Kentucky Derby and expecting him to win.”

“What drives human behavior? We’re a practical people. Time is as important as cost– time with your family, time with your community. We are a community and frustrated at being a cul de sac. How degrading it is to be out of the loop. Bringing high speed rail to this community is a wonderful thing.”

“We are sitting on a goldmine in Hampton Roads… the port and tourism… all hindered by transportation. We’re the point of entry for global business, not a cul de sac. (High speed rail) would bring the right kinds of businesses here.”

“I support high speed rail; just be sure there’s an open dialogue with all stakeholders to avoid missteps and to fiscally manage the project in an environmentally friendly way. My neighborhood will be served by (the region’s new) light rail, and I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I’m a citizen of Hampton Roads even though I live in Virginia Beach. The Final EIS should include a long-term future vision using Census 2010 numbers with updated ridership and economic impacts, real high speed trains and a southern route.” (commenter is a professional civil engineer)

“High speed rail is a baby step; it’s been proven in Japan. Concentrate on what the future holds, such as Maglev trains.”

Others who spoke in support of high speed rail included a small manufacturer in Virginia Beach, a resident with access to health care problems due to transportation issues, a woman whose husband had to forgo the UVA-Tech game tonight due to tunnel congestion, Board President of Opportunity, Inc. (South Hampton Roads Workforce Development), President of Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate (HRACRE) and a representative of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMPTO), Hampton Roads.

* High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program 1st Round Funding, awarded on 27Jan10 — North Carolina and Virginia are receiving $620 Million of the $8 Billion recently made available from ARRA High Speed Rail funding. Of the $620 Million, $520 Million has been allocated to the Raleigh to Charlotte Corridor; $75 Million for the DC-Richmond Corridor, and ONLY $25 Million for the Richmond to Raleigh Corridor (Virginia’s application was for $1.8 Billion).

by Missy Schmidt, Communication Manager, Hampton Roads Partnership

In this issue:  Franklin Mill’s Closure Impact on the Region

• Hampton Roads Coastal Resources Technical Assistance Program
• Virginia Stormwater Management Regulations Passed by State Board
• Annual Regional Stormwater Effectiveness Indicators Report
• Norfolk School Awarded HR Green Project of the Year Award
• Wind Energy
• Water We Take for Granted
• How to Recycle Cooking Oil
• Climate Change Research Moves Into Second Year
• South Hampton Roads Disabilities Services Board Awarded Employment Awareness Grant
• Regional Benchmarking Study Released
• Highlights from Governor’s Housing Conference held in the Region
• Healthcare Organizations Emergency Preparedness Seminars Planned
• Hampton Roads Critical Infrastructure Protection Program Initiative
• Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Planning Underway

Download and read Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), Crossings, Winter 2010

In this issue: Hampton Roads’ Share of Stimulus Funding

• VDOT Six-Year Improvement Program Revisions
• HRTPO Passes Resolution Supporting Regional High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail
• Passenger Rail Project Seeks Public Comments
• Update on Stimulus Projects in Hampton Roads
• A Conversation with Mayor Joe Frank
• Regional Safety Study Update
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program and the Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) Project Selection Process 2009
• Citizen Transportation Advisory Committee to Kick Off Soon
• Partnering with CNU to Gauge Public Pulse on Transportation Issues
• Limited English Proficiency Plan

LEAD Hampton Roads (LHR), the oldest and largest business leadership network in the region, sponsored a Regional Governance Panel recently at the Town Point Club in Norfolk.

The panel was moderated by Joel Rubin, LHR Class of 2000.

by Missy Schmidt, Communication Manager, Hampton Roads Partnership

Panelists included:

• Bryan Collins (LHR ‘00), Councilman-City of Chesapeake and Former Board Member, Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA)
• Jim Oliver, Former City Manager-Cities of Hampton, Norfolk and Portsmouth
• Doug Smith, Councilman-City of Portsmouth and Member, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO)
• Molly Joseph Ward, Mayor-City of Hampton and Vice-Chair, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO)
• Jim Wood, Councilman-City of Virginia Beach and Board Chair, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT)

The panel started off with one of the benefits of graduating from LHR – learning that “regionalism” is a good thing.

There are more than just time challenges to serving on regional boards. At election time, citizens think about what officials did for them locally, not regionally, imperiling one at the ballot box for tough “regional” decisions. A large amount of city budgets go into regional agencies.

HRT and SPSA were discussed as examples of entities facing difficulties with running regional services. HRT’s cost overruns with the light rail starter line in Norfolk made it appear that the Board was “asleep at the wheel,” said Jim Wood. In explanation, Wood said that Board members do not micromanage, which is typically prohibited by law. HRT’s recent actions are an example of a board doing the right thing but in a messy, dysfunctional way, according to Wood.

Regional board members are elected to represent their constituency, yet their perceptions and needs will differ based on the jurisdiction they represent. According to Doug Smith, a council member never “takes off your city hat” but the reality is- what happens in a city either hinders or benefits the entire region.

Smith used the HRTPO as an example: the six projects as a whole system was a good concept logically, but in hind sight, it was futile. When Chesapeake Mayor Alan Krasnoff stood up and said “just build something,” the HRTPO reached a pivotal point, realizing that prioritization of obtainable projects was the key.

While culturally and based on needs the Peninsula and Southside may be different, we are all one region, according to Molly Ward. “Think of yourself as a regional citizen; if we don’t work together, we will die together.”

High-speed rail alignment and many other issues at HRTPO have come to unanimous votes recently. And, high-speed rail decision-making was set-up to be a “civil war.” The final resolution was made to benefit the region as a whole, bringing passenger rail to the Southside was important. “The facts at the end of the day drove the decision,” said Ward.

SPSA’s new governor-appointed Board of Directors met recently. This is a new model of leadership for this regional agency.

Joining a board is complicated and requires an evolution to really know what is happening. Agency staff must be trusted and trustworthy. It’s a serious commitment for everyone.

Audience member Mike Barrett said that board members are ultimately dealing with taxpayer dollars. Those taxpayers also elect and re-elect city and county officials. This was at issue with SPSA, resulting in high debt and the highest tipping fee in the country. No one wanted to make the hard decisions along the way to prevent this by adjusting the rate structure as required.

According to Jim Oliver, “We have a broken system in Virginia. You would never organize anything to handle regional, or even global, issues they way they’re handled in Virginia. We have a ‘NO’ system.”

Dealing with regional problems is handled in “absolutely the wrong way. We just go from crisis to crisis,” said Oliver.

“The city manager’s job is not to make the region work; that’s an extra duty,” added Oliver. If a problem is regional, then a management structure should be built around the problem.

“The Articles of Confederation were thrown out by the founding fathers because they didn’t work, but we kept them in Virginia,” said Oliver to a chuckling crowd.

The new HRTPO structure is working now and, hopefully, will be sustainable. Oliver noted that the TPO has three times the number of Board members as it does staff.

Leadership is about citizenship; citizens taking responsibility. “Can we build a culture to get to ‘YES’?” asked Oliver. “How many more regional failures do we need?”

Oliver suggested that a paradox must be addressed: public demand must be developed as a region, not by neighborhood or city.

In the context of SPSA and HRT, referencing regional government boards, Jim Wood said, “Regionally we don’t do anything well. Businesses and citizens really don’t care where the city boundary is and we need to start thinking the same way.” SPSA’s current organizational contract ends in 2018. Will it go away? What does this mean for regional governance as a whole?

However, from the crowd, Ted Henifin of Hampton Roads Sanitary District (HRSD) was asked about HRSD’s business model. He suggested that having a dedicated funding source, i.e., financial support comes from citizens directly using the service vice depending on municipal budget support, was important. HRSD is operated as a business and not a city or county service, a funding model that is fairly unique nationally. Good business operations yield good regional organizations.

The question was raised as to whether elected officials or appointed citizens should serve on boards. Doug Smith said, “As long as you’re spending public money, citizens will demand elected officials to serve.”

It was noted that staff availability in the larger cities made it much easier to deal with issues of regional impact. The hours, or lack thereof, put into working on a board is backed up by city staff. Smaller localities, without large staffs, must look to citizens to step up and lead.

Again from the crowd, Mike Barrett added that on a strategic level, it makes no sense to have separate city systems for things such as waste management, transportation planning and transit. “It’s imperative to do things regionally; we need a better way to lead and manage things regionally,” said Barrett.

Hampton Mayor Molly Ward looks at her service as a “civic duty” and feels everyone should serve with this in mind. Citizens should run for office because it’s “their turn” not because they have an agenda. “We need elected officials to run for the right reasons; don’t worry about regional decisions at the next local election,” said Ward.

Audience member Reid Greenmun shared his thoughts on regional governance, pointing out that there was no way currently for regional matters to be addressed on a municipal basis. Citizens are forced to engage at the regional board level with time and travel issues. Regional cooperation would work best if matters were brought to the local level for discussion, citizen input and decision-making before regional votes were made. “We say ‘NO’ because regional boards aren’t accessible to citizens,” said Greenmun.

Oliver added that “it’s a new day” for public revenues with more state budget cuts looming. “It’s not a question of if regional boards are right, but how do we fix them to make them work for citizens?”

At issue, it appears, is citizen’s trust of regional decision-making. HRT, said Wood, has a “black eye” as a regional image, and it’s well deserved. Organizational changes are needed, especially with Virginia Beach and Chesapeake either underway or in planning stages to implement light rail transit. Transit is the best regional “group hug” opportunity we have. Wood also added that he would love to have regional board meetings televised, as behavior and discourse would be much improved, and those who are disengaged or ill-informed would be exposed.

The event ended with a pledge from the current LHR class that they are thinking and acting regionally. Their LHR class project is to lead by influencing and informing the region on the details of the upcoming Dept. of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT) public hearings on passenger rail for Hampton Roads. The class encouraged everyone to visit the LHR website for talking points and positions on High Speed Rail to Hampton Roads.

Photo credit: Clyde Hoey, The Resource Group

Its goal: Hampton Roads will be recognized as a region for centers of excellence fueled by innovation, intellectual and human capital, infrastructure and a sense of place.

Right now (until February 5th), the plan is seeking public comment, and you are invited to take an online survey at http://VisionHamptonRoads.com.

Joining host Cathy Lewis for the discussion: Dana Dickens, President of the Hampton Roads Partnership; Doug Smith with Kaufman & Canoles, and Dwight Farmer, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

Click on the graphic to see the video on YouTube, visit iTunes and download or watch at http://WhatMatters.tv.

by James Oliver

On Sunday, Nov. 8, 1953, the New York Times carried a story titled “Tunnel Plan gains at Hampton Roads.” Meanwhile, Yogi Berra, a famous New York Yankees baseball player, had already won the first of his four Most Valuable Player awards.

Four years later, on Nov. 2, 1957, the Times included an article about “the tunnel that connects Norfolk and Hampton.” By then, Yogi had caught Don Larsen’s historic perfect World Series game.

Yogi, a simple, talented man, and the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, a vision that became a reality, frame my future as I try to think about where we are headed in Hampton Roads.

Yogi said, “You can observe a lot by watching.” Here are a few things I see, some dimly, some starkly.

2010 is likely to be a year to remember. Whether it is a good year or not depends more on Yogi than our vision for HRBT. Yogi is my metaphor for you and me. Can we figure out a way to get into the game? I think that is the central civic question for 2010.

Some of the forces affecting our lives are huge: global economy, federal/state fiscal crisis, demographics and technology.

Take the federal/state fiscal crisis, where financial advisers say 48 of our state governments are structurally bankrupt. While many citizens don’t get it — yet — do not expect Virginia to restore its previous commitments to public school education, public safety or basic human services.

Transportation may be a more troublesome public issue because it is so complicated, the public’s role is not well defined and because there is such a lag between a decision and a visible outcome. Again, don’t expect the state to return to the old normal. Expect the state to either ignore the situation, as it has, or shift responsibilities to the region, localities and citizens in those localities.

Meanwhile, technology is having its impact on the distribution of information and knowledge. On the one hand, more people have the capability to know or access information, but on the other, few of us know which way to go or how to do it.

Yogi once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Our fork in the road includes cutbacks in the news media, little use for the old ways of doing government business and no more blind trust. Thus, we know some fairly conclusive things about the past but not too much about the new form of democracy that is perhaps emerging. What exactly does “high touch, high tech” look like? And can we discover an acceptable version here?

Two local examples come to my mind: Buckroe and regional transportation.

I am still trying to understand the lessons of Buckroe. In my second week as Hampton city manager, the initial rezoning decision occurred. The turmoil of the next five months confounded me.

I tried really hard to observe and listen. And I had a pretty good seat at the table. But the situation clearly was a complicated conflict of values that played out with unclear resolutions. It tells me there is much to do with local, civic conversations.

Regional transportation is also puzzling as to how and when to involve the public. It is clear that the options governments have offered the public thus far have received resounding rejection, the most visible of which was the 2002 referendum.

Again, 2010 will be an important year. We know, for sure, that the budget processes in each locality and in Richmond will be extraordinary.

We also know, for certain, that if citizens and public officials continue to play by the old rules and adhere to our historical cultures, we will clash until only a few people are standing in a zero-sum game.

One New Year’s Resolution might be for each of us to pledge personal help in the search for finding the public’s voice.

Demographic shifts suggest that community, for young people, might not be as place-based as in the past. The new community may be non-geographic, even virtual or organic. How we work out those conversations will be vital in 2010.

Hopefully, there’s a little bit of Yogi in each of us. As he said, “90 percent of this game is half-mental.”

Community voices: Over a career of more than 30 years, James Oliver, who leaves as Hampton’s interim city manager this week, was also the top public administrator in Norfolk, Portsmouth and James City County.

Originally published on December 31, 2009 in the Daily Press

by Brendan O’Hallarn Wednesday, originally posted on WYDaily.com December 16, 2009

I’m sitting here at my computer, and can barely type because my fingers are still trembling with rage.

Indulge me with this rant. Regular readers of Tunnel Vision know that I’m pretty philosophical about traffic jams, and spend most of my time in the column poking fun at my own foibles.

Today, I do not feel like laughing.

So far this week, three of my four commutes have stretched to two hours.

My house to Old Dominion University is a drive that takes 45 minutes when there’s no traffic on the road. The cause of three separate traffic nightmares? A single stalled car each time.

Monday morning, it was a car broken down INSIDE the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Traffic was backed up to the Hampton Coliseum. That afternoon, some sucker got a flat PRECISELY at always-busy Fort Eustis, backing up traffic all the way to Jefferson.

Then today, some poor fool was stalled, flashers flashing, in the MIDDLE LANE where 4th View Street spills onto I-64 in Norfolk. I waded through five miles of stop-and-go traffic to get past that sticky mess.

I admit, you couldn’t have placed three cars in better spots if you wanted to foul up the rush hour commute. But there’s NO FREAKING WAY a single stalled car should add an hour to your commute.

At the blog SmartRegion.org, the Hampton Roads Partnership posts guest columns by executives and lawmakers offering earnest suggestions on what can be done to help the “driving economic force” of transportation in the region.

In this space, I’ve devoted tons of words to people who are attempting to figure out how to make traffic better in Hampton Roads – whether it’s workplace managers allowing for telecommuting, or advocates pushing for high-speed rail.

On Thursday, there’s a breakfast meeting at Thomas Nelson Community College to discuss the state of transportation in the region. Clearly, some people are trying.

I guess days like the last two make me think it’s hopeless.

And then there’s this. The Commonwealth Transportation Board is considering stripping the funds slated for interstate construction in the region this year, because of the state’s budget crunch. AT THE SAME MEETING the Board will receive its final report into the failure that caused the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel closure on July 2.

I’ve been writing Tunnel Vision for 10 months. Obviously, I have no answers to the congestion that’s plaguing this region. My only remedy is black humor.

But collectively, as this region continues to grow, reluctance remains to invest in rapid transit, road reconstruction, carpooling, shift flexibility or anything else that might save us from a looming CRISIS on our roads.

My job depends on being able to successfully take my car to the south side of Hampton Roads, four days a week, at rush hour. Clearly, I’m not alone.

If three cars can cause three nightmare commutes in three days, what other traffic madness awaits us, with more cars pouring over our crumbling infrastructure every single day?

Got any ideas? Let’s hear ‘em. Because we’re all in this together.

Brendan O’Hallarn writes Tunnel Vision every Wednesday for WYDaily. Brendan O’Hallarn left his job as a WYDaily reporter but they’re unwilling to let him go completely.  He’s now keeping track of observations as a commuter drone on daily treks to and from Norfolk’s ODU campus. Write him at brendan@wydaily.com.

The Future of Hampton Roads, Inc. (FHR) has set another Town Meeting on High-Speed Rail, free and open to everyone in Hampton Roads, on Wednesday, January 20th at 5:30 p.m. at the Granby Theater (421 Granby Street, downtown Norfolk).

2020 Vision: Will We See High-Speed Rail in Hampton Roads Multimodal Transportation Future?

Keynote Speaker is Bob McDonnell, who will be sworn in as Governor of Virginia prior to the meeting (invited, confirmation pending).

Panelists include:

• Hon. John Cosgrove, Delegate, Virginia General Assembly, and Member, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (invited, confirmation pending)
• Hon. Molly Ward, Mayor, City of Hampton and Vice Chair, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization
• David Tollaksen, Chairman, Drakkar America and former Member, National Transportation Safety Board and High-Speed Ground Transportation Association
• Louis Guy, Professional Engineer, and former head of City of Norfolk Department of Utilities
• Ray Taylor, President, Future of Hampton Roads, Inc.

The purpose of the FHR town meeting is to urge the citizens of Hampton Roads to listen to issues, get answers and prepare to speak up for High-Speed Rail for Hampton Roads at the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) public hearing in Richmond on January 26th and local public hearings on January 27th and 28th in Newport News and Norfolk.

In October, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization endorsed a route from Norfolk to Richmond along Route 460 south of the James River and to enhance existing passenger rail from Newport News to Richmond. A final plan will be approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The region is seeking money in the stimulus package Congress passed last winter to help fund High-Speed Rail.

Local forums:

• Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, 5:30–8 p.m., at City Center Conference Facilities, James and Warwick Rooms, 700 Town Center Drive, Newport News
• Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010, 5:30–8 p.m., at Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk

From DRPT, December 4, 2009 – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) have published the Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for review and comment.

The draft document has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is subject to change until the document is accepted by the EPA and a Notice of Availability is published in the Federal Register.

The Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project is evaluating options to improve passenger rail service between Richmond and Hampton Roads. The Tier I draft EIS provides an overview and comparison of the potential alternatives, with information on the cost, ridership, environmental impacts and infrastructure improvements associated with each option.

For more information on the Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project or to review the Tier I draft EIS, visit www.drpt.virginia.gov/projects/hamptonpassenger.aspx.

About DRPT
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is the state agency for rail, public transportation and commuter services in Virginia. DRPT has three business areas: rail, transit, and congestion management that help improve the mobility of people and goods while providing more transportation choices.

Technorati Claim Code 94HX2VHFBT5W

by Kurt Nagle, President/CEO of American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)

Today, as we confront a host of national challenges — chief among them, recovery from the current economic crisis — there is a clear and critical role for our seaports.

Deep-draft ports — coastal and fresh water — are dynamic, vibrant centers of trade and commerce that rely on partnerships, both public (e.g., national and local governments) and private (e.g., shipping lines, tenants, investors and stakeholders).

In the U.S., seaports invest more than $2.5 Billion annually to maintain and enhance their infrastructure. However, this commitment isn’t being adequately matched by the federal government. Many of the land and water connections are insufficient and outdated, affecting the ports’ ability to move the nation’s goods. In turn, this hurts business, hurts workers and hurts our national economy.

Despite the current downturn, the volume of international trade through our ports will rebound and grow dramatically in the years ahead.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS HUGE:
In 2007, U.S. seaports were responsible for nearly $3.2 Trillion in economic activity; generated more than $212 Billion in tax revenue; moved more than 99% of the country’s overseas cargo; handled more than 2 Billion tons of cargo; and supported more than 13 Million American jobs, accounting for $649 Billion in personal income.

Ports also serve as local economic engines. Just consider the location of the largest U.S. metro centers — NYC, LA, Houston, Chicago, Seattle, Miami — and you’ll notice a high percentage have ports that handle ocean-going vessels. Centers of international trade like these are magnets for business and economic development.

Seaports can play a critical role in our national economic recovery; however, connecting infrastructure to ports requires higher levels of federal investment to create jobs, alleviate congestion and deliver prosperity.

excerpts from an article in Propeller Club Quarterly, Fall 2009