Rome wasn’t built in a day:
Neither was our interstate system, but just imagine navigating Hampton Roads without it. How long would it take you to drive to downtown Norfolk from the Oceanfront if you had to take Virginia Beach Boulevard the entire way?
Right now, light rail only connects downtown Norfolk to the Norfolk/Virginia Beach border. But future plans have it connecting the entire region. As we continue to grow, so will traffic congestion. Building out the light rail system and connecting urban centers will make getting around a lot easier - just like building the interstate system did for the country in the 1950s.
Hampton Roads Transit’s 2011 Regional Transit Vision Plan proposed a number of transit, ferry and commuter rail recommendations over the next 10-20 years:
The plan envisions light rail connecting Naval Station Norfolk, the airport, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, ODU and the Greenbrier area, even stretching across the water to the Peninsula and downtown Hampton.
Potential Areas of Expansion: A Southside Transit System
Imagine being able to take fast and efficient public transportation to catch an early morning flight at Norfolk Airport, to commute to work at Little Creek, or to enjoy a day on the beach at the resort Oceanfront. Potentially, one day, light rail could even expand across the water to the Peninsula allowing you to see a show at the Hampton Coliseum or enjoy a day at Busch Gardens.
The first step in making a comprehensive public transportation system work for Virginia Beach involves extending The Tide (Blue Line) from Norfolk into Virginia Beach. Eventually, the goal is to create an integrated Southside Transit System (STS) that provides access to different parts of our city and neighboring communities:
Click Map to Enlarge
- The Yellow Line to the Resort
- The Red Line to Little Creek Navy Base and Norfolk Airport
- The Green Line to the municipal center by way of Sentara, TCC and the ODU/Norfolk State Virginia Beach higher education campus (Academic Village)
- The Purple Line, which parallels Lynnhaven Parkway to Chesapeake (Greenbrier).
- The STS could also continue to expand further via the Silver Line to ODU's main campus and the Norfolk Navy Base.
What's Next?
Summer 2016 - Fall 2017:
Final environmental documents and 30 percent preliminary engineering design plans
Mid 2017:
City Council vote to approve construction
2017 - 2019:
Light Construction and testing
Late 2019 or early 2020:
Light rail service begins