Ever since I started living here I have had the dream- that one day, I could walk out my door with a small backpack, and hike or grab a ride down to Main Street Station in Shockoe Bottom, and catch a high speed train to the airport, to D.C., to Norfolk, to anywhere in the world. I am certainly not the only one. Virginians for High Speed Rail have been making the case for years (though they do it very drily).
When I first arrived here many years ago, I mentioned in a conversation how excited I was about the day that high speed rail to and from D.C. became reality in Richmond and how it would really change things. The person I was talking with gave a sympathetic chuckle and said, “You are new here, aren’t you? You will see…”
And I have seen. I have listened to the excuses and the reasons for the delays. I have heard the naysayers and distractions. I have learned about the Acca train yard and CSX obstacles. I have grown to understand and appreciate Richmond’s other tremendous needs for educational and institutional reform.
But that day is getting closer, and as citizens of Richmond, we should hunger for it, prepare for it, and even demand it. High speed rail and mass transit are too important for the future of this City to just wait idly by. And it should be part of other important conversations.
How is a new stadium a distraction from HSR?
The Shockoe stadium debate was a distraction from more important public priorities (schools, jail, transportation, etc.) for the City in 2002, and its a distraction from more important public priorities (schools, jail, transportation, etc.) for the City in 2009. If all the media and public does is follow the argument about where the (existing?) baseball team should play, then its hard to get the public galvanized about much else.
I agree with you Scott, I’m tired of the excuses and I hope we see better long distance rail connections in the coming decade.
I would also love to see a City coalition formed to make local rail transit a reality (again.) The Master Plan touches on it, and we know the downtown neighborhoods have the density to support a streetcar network. A modern tram network, even one line, would do a heck of a lot more for downtown redevelopment than the distractions you mention above. It’s a tried and true city building technique and we need to bring our streetcars back if we want Richmond to be a vibrant city again.
Now just imagine tourists boarding the new high-speed Midwest trunk line in Chicago headed for a spring vacation in Virginia. Their train tops out at 200mph on the five hour haul to NYC where they transfer to the Eastern trunk line and the 90 minute trip to Washington. The train stops briefly at Union Station in DC before continuing on for the 45 minute trip to Richmond.
De-boarding at the Main St Station, the tourists exit the long distance terminal and look for the Capitol Region transfer terminal. The Blue Ridge platform sign tells them these trains head west to Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Roanoke and points beyond. They also pass the Piedmont Platform that tells them they can ride north to Ashland and Fredericksburg, or south to Petersburg to see Virginia’s historic attractions. As they read the signs, a rush of business travelers pass them, anxious to find the tram platforms to take them to their afternoon business meetings in Richmond.
But the tourists are headed to the beach for some sun and fun, so they head to the Colonial Line platform. These trains take them east to Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk, and through the new tunnel to their resort in Virginia Beach. They arrive in time to check in and enjoy some shrimp cocktails on the beach and get their Virginia vacation started.
That’s how I think Richmond needs to position itself in a new rail network: as a terminus on a national high-speed corridor; and the hub in Virginia’s regional network giving travelers many options for visiting the state.
Looks like someone is on your side.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/us/politics/17train.html
And Stuart, why not improve the existing bus system than spend 100s of millions on a tram or street car install?
Stephen, that is the plan. Improve the bus system and augment it with rail transit.
I am for High Speed Rail but why stop at Va Beach for an end destination? If they extended the track down to the Raliegh Durham area you would connect more Tech related industries that would use it instead of flying.
Scott,
Thank you for your nice blog post about high-speed rail. I do apologize about our lack of exciting information, however these are exciting times. I can say that there is a strong chance that high-speed will come to Richmond…soon. If asked in December of 2008 for a time frame I would’ve said within 10 years, now I believe that with the right leadership in the Governor’s mansion and strong support from our congressional delegation we can see it by 2013. 110 mph trains from Richmond to DC, NYC, and Boston, and by 2020 if things progress as they are to Raliegh and Charlotte, NC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpM01qtlt9E&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vhsr.com%2F&feature=player_embedded
Danny Plaugher
Executive Director
Virginians for High Speed Rail
http://seekingalpha.com/article/132500-obama-s-high-speed-rail-strategy-what-will-happen-when-the-steel-meets-the-track
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May 28, 2009
Mr. Patrick Simmons, Director
Ms. Shirley R. Williams, Director- Environmental & Planning
Mr. David Foster, PE, Rail Project Development & Environmental Evaluation
North Carolina DOT – Rail Division
1553 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1553
Mr. Charles M. (Chip) Badger, Director
Mr. Kevin B. Page, Chief of Rail Transportation
Ms. Christine Fix, AICP
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)
600 E. Main Street, Suite 2102
Richmond, VA 23219
Subject: Southeast High Speed Rail
Richmond – Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Study
Dear State Rail Employees of North Carolina and Virginia:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed Southeast High Speed Rail improvements, the Richmond – Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Study and how these two important projects relate to the village of Chester located within Chesterfield County, VA.
In 2000, Chesterfield County, VA facilitated the forming of the Chester Community Association (CCA). The group was organized through it bylaws as a nonprofit 501 c 3 corporation in June 2001. The Chester Community Association was created to implement the Chester Village Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors as amended 2001 by actively representing the entire Chester community and presenting the community goals and objectives before appropriate organizations, groups and officials.
To achieve our vision and our mission, we have identified three overarching goals:
A. To shape the future of the Village of Chester
B. To enhance the quality of life within the Village
C. To effectively communicate within the Village and our partners
To that end, the CCA Board of Directors have several adopted transportation goals that may conflict with the proposed SEHSR plan and would like to offer some guidance and resolution to insure that all involved organizations’ goals are met.
First and foremost, we are strong supporters of high speed rail service in the Commonwealth and in the Southeast Corridor.
The CCA Board of Directors has adopted the following four vision goals for your Departments’ consideration as the SEHSR and RHRPRS projects move forward in the Chester Plan area:
•Bicycle and pedestrian access must be improved to facilitate greater movement than is present today. Since the proposed High Speed Rail project will shut public crossings and informal crossings will be prohibited with high speed rail wildlife fencing, Chester needs to plan for its future pedestrian and bicycle connections across this barrier. In the core village area, non-motorized crossings shall be provided every 900 feet.
•A greenway shall be provided along the entire rail corridor from Richmond to Petersburg.
•A local commuter rail project between Richmond and Petersburg shall include a Chester station at West Hundred Road and shall be operating in 2025 with service to Main Street Station and Ettrick / Petersburg.
•A roundabout solution shall be analyzed in lieu of a traffic signal at the new intersection of Centralia Road and Chester Road.
We would appreciate your thoughtful, written response that specifies your planned accommodation for these goals as your current project goals may conflict with these local transportation issues.
Together we will insure that this project is of benefit to the citizens along the corridor and the village of Chester, located in Chesterfield, VA. I would extend an invitation to you to attend one of our meetings such that our citizens can hear first hand what your schedule and proposed plans are for the village of Chester and surrounding area.
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert R. Owens
Chester Community Association President
CC: Delegate Kirk Cox
Senator Steve Martin
Supervisor Dorothy Jaeckle
Planning Commissioner Sam Hassan
Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer
ATTACHMENT: Adopted 2009 Transportation Goals
Adopted 2009 transportation goals for the Chester Plan area:
•Chester’s transportation system is to be safe, livable, and accommodating to all users by partnering with neighborhoods and other organizations to:
o Require proposed transportation projects meet the vision of the Chester Plan through the Transportation Department working with the citizens, Planning Department, Community Development, and Parks and Recreation.
o Require that proposed transportation projects follow the context sensitive design process led by a Landscape Architect and follows the latest guidance on building walkable communities.
o Require in proposed site plan reviews for Chester that non-motorized transportation facilities are safe and functional, as well as encourages their use.
o Require a transportation professional be trained such that the best non-motorized facilities can be provided for a multimodal transportation system in Chester.
o Require that all sources of transportation grant funding for non-motorized transportation are actively being pursued for the development of Chester’s multimodal vision.
o Require a comprehensive study of non-motorized transportation facilities, levels of service, and policies within Chester.
o Require the prioritization of proposed non-motorized transportation projects to promote connectivity from residential areas to schools, parks, and the core village area.
o Require that all opportunities to promote passenger rail service in Chester are supported.
o Require a roundabout first philosophy where roundabouts will be implemented whenever possible as the first form of traffic control in lieu of traffic signals.
o Support the pursuit of the League of American Bicyclists Gold Award for Bicycle Friendly Communities for Chester, VA.”
o Insure access to green space, parks, schools, public facilities, and greenways as provided and planned for the village
o Insure that all opportunities to promote pedestrian and bicycle use of the Route 10 Corridor through pedestrian countdown signals, crosswalks, speed management, lane widths, bicycle lanes, and other permanent infrastructure improvements are pursued and are in keeping with the vision of the Chester Plan
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Yes, we need high speed rail and they offer casinos.