Light-rail to Virginia Beach expected to cost $243 million

Officials say the project to extend light-rail to Virginia Beach could cost $243 million.

HRT

Extending light-rail to Virginia Beach Town Center from Newtown Road, Va., could total $243.1 million in capital costs, transit officials say.

Virginia-based public transit agency Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), the city of Virginia Beach and the engineering firms working to develop the extension collaborated to estimate the project cost.

Officials say the project intends to bring 3.5 miles of additional track to The Tide, HRT’s 7.4-mile line serving 11 stations. The extension would allow for the addition of three new stations at Constitution Drive, Kellam Road and Witchduck Road. Crews are set to construct a new eastbound platform at Newtown Road, as well.

“This study represents the collaborative work of many talented engineers and planners,” said William E. Harrell, president and CEO of HRT. “I am thrilled to present the preliminary engineering to the public and confident the information represents a comprehensive assessment of what it will take to extend The Tide into Town Center.”

The extension’s expected costs also account for the addition of three new light-rail vehicles, which HRT says would enable the agency to maintain its current level of service, a bus transfer facility at Constitution Drive, three bridges, nine at-grade crossings, six signalized intersections and major utility relocations.

Project planners say the new track would be elevated from Independence Boulevard east to Market Street before returning to grade and ending the line at Constitution Drive. Bridges are planned above Witchduck Road, Independence Boulevard and Market Street to allow for regular vehicular traffic to travel in the area.

HRT says its current plans are the product of 15 months of work by local communities, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Light Rail Partners, a team made up of RK&K and STV, both of which have experience developing transportation projects.

Planning the light-rail extension also entailed collaboration with the city of Norfolk, the Virginia Department of Transportation, Dominion Virginia Power, Virginia Natural Gas, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Cox Communications and Verizon Communications, the transit agency says.

Current project plans outline major utility relocations for transmission and distribution towers for Dominion Power, a 42-inch water main in Virginia Beach. HRT also coordinated with the Housing Resource Center, the I-64/I-264 interstate ramp project, the Virginia Beach Department of Public Utilities and project planners for Witchduck Road Phase II during this phase.

Preliminary engineering tasks for the extension include the completion of design drawings at a 30-percent level, outlining projected costs of major utility relocations, attaining the legal rights-of-way to build the project and securing the professional engineering services needed to manage and build the project.

Following the completion of the preliminary engineering phase, HRT will present bridging documents to Virginia Beach to prepare for the extension’s final design and construction phase. Next steps will include operation and maintenance cost estimates, a request for proposals from Virginia Beach to begin the design-build process. HRT will serve as a partner and technical adviser throughout the completion of the project, officials say.

The city of Virginia Beach is considering other project enhancements such as a public path along the proposed extension. Additional project costs such as these are not currently accounted for in HRT’s light-rail cost estimate.