Whenever I find myself with a car I can’t help but think how less stressful life would be without it. That is, as long as there was a viable alternative to driving. Unfortunately, there is not a quick and easy way to get around without a car.

For an area the size of Hampton Roads, we are lacking a dependable and efficient way to move around the region. In terms of public transportation, it is complicated to find my way from the North End to Town Center in Virginia Beach or from Mellen St. to Queensway in Hampton. If I wanted to traverse from one city to another it would be a logistical nightmare. It shouldn’t be this way. Cars are considered convenient because they help us bypass these transportation challenges. However, even cars are susceptible to traffic congestion and tolls. One solution? A regional Bus Rapid Transit system, or BRT.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective services at metro-level, or light rail-level, capacities. It does this through the provision of dedicated lanes; with busways and iconic stations typically aligned to the center of the road; off-board fare collection; and fast and frequent operations.



Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transport Transit | Image from Commons

Because BRT contains features similar to a light rail or metro system, it is much more reliable, convenient and faster than regular bus services. With the right features, BRT is able to avoid the causes of delay that typically slow regular bus services, such as traffic congestion and queuing to pay fare while boarding, per the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy.

Although Curitaba, Mexico City, and New York are usually cited as great examples of BRT, Cleveland would be a better comparison to Hampton Roads in terms of size and an efficient BRT system; it also has the highest rated system in the U.S.

Started in Cleveland in 2008, the nine-mile HealthLine (as it is called) links the downtown to several neighborhoods, a major university, and a major medical center. At $200 million, the price of the line was roughly a quarter of what a light rail system would have cost for the same route. The buses travel at 35 mph, while normal traffic is only permitted to travel at 25 mph. The HealthLine, which achieved the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy’s silver standard, has seen a steady annual increase in “choice ridership,” about 60% up from non-BRT routes. “Choice ridership” essentially entails those who could drive but choose to take alternate transportation. Additionally, Joseph Shaffer, Director of Engineering & Project Development for Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, says the HealthLine is nearing its peak daily capacity.

In short, the major components of an efficient and true BRT are:

It travels in a dedicated lane (read: BRT ONLY lane) and receives priority from traffic signals It is boarded from rail-like platforms that are level with bus doors It runs at a higher frequency than a traditional bus route It has a larger rider capacity than a traditional bus route Riders pay fares at station platforms instead of on the bus

A route that I fantasize about most is one that connects the Tide at Newtown to the Oceanfront via Virginia Beach Boulevard. The corridor along the Boulevard is a prime segment of contiguous parcels that are appropriately zoned for development and enhanced vibrancy, which can connect the Oceanfront to Town Center and burgeoning downtown Norfolk. A BRT that runs along a major corridor, such as the Boulevard, serves two major needs: efficient transportation and economic development. Placing a true BRT line along the boulevard would efficiently move people without the hassle of traffic congestion and parking. Locating a BRT along a commercial corridor would allow riders to run errands without a car and would decrease traffic congestion and the need for parking lots.

It could all be so simple…

It’s Saturday morning at my house in Virginia Beach and this evening I have a potluck in Ghent. I’ve decided to make Oysters Rockafeller. In order to kill two birds with one stone, I’ll check out Old Beach Market at Croc’s where I’ll check-in with some old friends and do some shopping. I’ll use the BRT to make the trip quick and easy.

Conveniently for me, the BRT runs all the way to the Oceanfront on dedicated lanes along Virginia Beach Blvd/Laskin Road passing through all the major commercial corridors that house the likes of Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and the Heritage Store. The closest stop to me is at First Colonial and Laskin, just under a two-mile bike ride from my house. Once I get to the stop I realize I need to put money on my transit card (which works for both the Tide and the BRT); luckily every BRT stop has off-board ticketing machines and turnstiles to cut down on the time it would take to otherwise pay for fare as people board the bus. The Bus is on a 20 minute cycle on the weekends and a ten minute cycle during peak hours during the week. I arrive five minutes before it pulls up. The platform-level boarding makes it easy for me to roll my bike on and store it. I take the bus to 19th street and hop off to check out the locally sourced goods.

It’s about 4pm on Saturday and my friend from Colorado is back home in Portsmouth visiting. Being the spontaneous opportunist that I am, I decide to take my contribution for tonight over early, drop it off, and meet my friend for a quick drink at Still before heading back to the potluck. I wrap everything up and place it in my pannier and bike to the BRT stop. The BRT traverses alongside the Boulevard and makes stops at all the major intersections including Rosemont and Town Center, only stopping whenever there are passengers laying in wait or if someone requests a stop, thus ensuring an expedited trip.

As the region decides on mass transit, the BRT should be considered as it is less costly, yet comparable, to light rail. If it is determined the BRT no longer meets a growing transit demand, transition to light rail may be possible.

My bus stops at Town Center and I hop onto the Tide to get to Ghent. I drop off my foil wrapped casserole dish at my friend’s apartment just off Colley and lock up my bike to a modern art sculpture/bike rack and walk back to the Tide stop. I end up at the multi-modal transportation hub at Harbor Park, where I can catch the Tide, the Amtrak and any one of the three BRTs that terminate in Suffolk, at the Oceanfront and on the Peninsula. I take the one heading towards downtown Suffolk since it has several stops in Portsmouth. The downtown tunnel expansion has allotted a dedicated lane for BRT and makes trips to Portsmouth car free, hassle free and toll free. I arrive at the stop at Effingham and High St. and walk to Still where my friend awaits with a craft cocktail.

We seize the evening early and end up at Gosport Tavern (I haven’t been since it re-opened) and I do my part to support the local bartenders. Eventually I realize what time it is and figure it best to head back to Ghent. Luckily I don’t have to drive and I hop on the BRT heading back to Harbor Park. I text my friend and let them know that I’m running late, as always. I transfer to the Tide heading to Ghent and arrive at the party in full swing.

I strike up a conversation with someone who works at the Shipyard in Newport News and I ask him about his commute, since he mentioned living in Norfolk. He tells me:

Ever since they added dedicated bus lanes (north and south bound on 64) I sold my car and solely use the BRT. When the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) is congested, the dedicated lanes allow buses to zoom right by them. The major BRT route in Newport News goes down Victoria Blvd and up Jefferson Ave. My company is providing shuttles to and from the BRT stop since more people are taking it and the wait time is minimal, maybe 15 minutes at worst. I’d rather wait 15 minutes at the end of the trip than 30 minutes to an hour in bridge traffic everyday.

In 2009, a study from VDOT reported a typical month had about 2.5 million vehicles using the HRBT. In that same year, it’s estimated there were 1,783 stoppages, considered “…accidents, stalled vehicles, flat tires, vehicles out of gas, fires, escorting over-height trucks, debris pickup, investigative calls, maritime accidents and pedestrians on the bridge.” This data strengthens the argument that alternative transportation should be considered when looking into the future of Hampton Roads: we either leave the region as is–with growing traffic congestion sans mass-transit–or implement mass-transit, whether its light rail or BRT to relieve traffic congestion. Stressful tunnel traffic should not be an accepted part of life in Hampton Roads.

We continue to talk about the future of the area and how much greater and more powerful the Seven Cities would be if transit was easier to come by. The individuality of each city in the region would be recognizable with the downtowns, the beaches, and the food. If these unique attributes were conveniently attainable to everyone, people the world over would know how great of a place Hampton Roads is.

In a regional context, there are three major boulevards that I believe BRT would help to enhance: Hampton Boulevard, Mercury Boulevard, and Virginia Beach Boulevard. Once these three boulevards have time to develop and mature with the BRT (running along the center of each boulevard as seen in other cities like Cleveland, Curitaba, and Mexico City) the next step would entail connecting them.

Hampton Boulevard is an obvious choice for the area as it would connect the Tide to major economic and education centers. The Hampton Boulevard BRT would be anchored by EVMS on the south and Naval Station Norfolk on the north. Old Dominion University would be a major stop on the route along with vibrant Colley Ave. a few blocks to the east. This would provide a very usable route for both the workweek and the weekend, providing efficient transit for the military, students, and late night revelers.

The Mercury Boulevard BRT would consist of an endpoint at Fort Monroe near Downtown Hampton and an end point at Huntington Park. This route would string together the soon-to-revitalize Fort Monroe with two major Downtown Hampton pockets of vibrancy (along Mellen St. and Queens Way). Additionally, there would be a stop at Hampton University and Peninsula Town Center. Due to Mercury Boulevard’s scale, there is a large opportunity to develop along the boulevard to create more vibrant sections along the commercial corridor.

The Virginia Beach Boulevard BRT would be a continuation of the existing light rail and provide an anchor at Newtown Road and the Oceanfront. As mentioned previously, the BRT along this route would pass through major pockets of commerce such as Town Center, Hilltop, and the boardwalk.

The creation of these three BRT routes would serve as the foundation of a much larger regional transit route. Once these BRT routes are established, branches off these routes, through the use of shuttle buses, may develop and serve as implications for a more comprehensive system of mass transit.

Like these ideas? Tell HRT. They’ve got a survey running to determine their future priorities.