What if we could create neighborhoods with home, work and play in one walkable place? What if we could create several neighborhoods with a mix of apartments, condos, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants and bars? And what if those neighborhoods were linked together — if each was a short walk from a bus stop and train station?
That’s the idea behind transit-oriented development.
Transit-oriented development creates communities. It’s a neighborhood of homes and businesses within a quarter-mile or half-mile of transit. Creating these dense, compact neighborhoods gives residents a choice. Want to live in the suburbs, on a cul de sac and have a big yard? You can do that here. Want to ditch the car and live in a transit-oriented community? You can do that, too. It’s a lifestyle choice, and good cities offer both.
The goal of light rail — of all transportation, really — is to give us travel options. Creating transit-oriented communities gives us choice.
Virginia Beach plans to focus much of its future growth into eight small areas to preserve established suburban neighborhoods like Kempsville or rural areas like Pungo. Called Strategic Growth Areas, these areas make up just 2 percent of the city’s land.
- Two of those areas are along the proposed light rail line to Town Center. They are at Newtown and Pembroke (which includes Witchduck Road).
- Four more are along what a possible future light rail line to the resort. They are at Rosemont, Lynnhaven, Hilltop and the Oceanfront.
The city has plans for the development of those communities. Many depend on a thriving transit system.
Strategic Growth Areas