CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Back in the summer, News 3 was chatting to residents about their experiences riding the Tide Light Rail—some of them, like Frances Miller, had very specific ideas as to where Hampton Roads Transit should expand next.
“I want it to go to Chesapeake, to Greenbrier,” she said.
Well if you are a Chesapeake resident and would like to see more public transportation options in your city, then we have some good news for you.
Over the next couple of weeks, HRT will be holding a series of pop events and a public meeting. The purpose of these events is to discuss the possible future transportation options for Chesapeake residents.
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“The city is growing. They’re working on their master planning and land use efforts so now is the perfect time to look at it, “ said Sherri Dawson, HRT’s Director of Transit Development.
Right now, the City of Chesapeake just has hourly bus service with HRT. But Dawson says these new options will provide residents with faster and more frequent transit.
There are three options being discussed. Bus Rapid Transit, Express Bus Transit, and the Light Rail. Each service would cater to areas like the Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, and the rapidly expanding Summit Pointe.
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“I think the overall consensus is that transit needs to improve in Chesapeake. So whether we go with express bus, bus rapid transit or light rail, I think the citizens of Chesapeake will be quite happy,” Dawson told News 3.
But what’s the difference between Bus Rapid Transit and Express Transit you ask? Well, Express Transit would mean more frequent stops, running longer hours in the day, whereas Bus Rapid Transit would be a step above that.
“There would be opportunities for the bus to operate in its own dedicated lane, so it would be separated from the traffic,” said Dawson.
Here’s a list of the pop-up events and locations where you can talk directly with HRT employees.
- Jan. 16: from 1-3 p.m., Liberty and Seaboard Transfer Center on Liberty Street, Chesapeake.
- Jan. 22: from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Greenbrier Public Library, 1214 Volvo Parkway, Chesapeake.
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“We don’t want them to lean towards one or the other or ask us what our opinion is. It’s what’s gonna work best for you based on how long is the route, what stops does this potential route have?” Dawson said.
Since News 3 was at the HRT HQ, we stopped to chat with Communications Manager Thomas Becher, to ask if any Chesapeake residents have brought up any security concerns with the services, given the latest armed robbery incident.
He tells us they have not, but says he’s always happy to speak with anyone if those concerns arise. Becher assured News 3 that they have added more security officers to their transit systems since the incident occurred.
