HIGH CAPACITY.
HIGH QUALITY.
HI TIDE.
The Tide is our region’s modern, high-capacity light rail system.
It runs from EVMC Fort Norfolk to the border of Virginia Beach at Newtown Road. The system runs alongside I-264, bypassing traffic completely.
The train runs every 10-15 minutes, carrying up to 500 passengers at a time when coupled together.
the
future
we were
promised.
In 2011, Virginia Beach paid $40M for the 10.6mi right-of-way to expand The Tide, where abandoned freight tracks currently sit.
The route was planned to extend to Town Center and the Oceanfront, with further plans to extend across the Seven Cities. Concerns over cost, noise disruption, and crime led to pushback—preventing The Tide from reaching its potential.
The expansion would have connected thousands of residents, military personnel, commuters, and tourists to work, home, school, and—the beach.
It would have provided a high-capacity alternative to I-264, reducing traffic, parking congestion, and road incidents.
The current system is quiet, clean, fast, and efficient. Trips are free during Tides games, with security and video monitoring on board.
STOREFRONT TO
OCEANFRONT.
SEAPORT TO
AIRPORT.
A Tide Expansion means connecting our region’s largest economic hub to our region’s largest destination for tourism. It would amplify our region’s economy, provide our residents with choices on how we commute, and most importantly, reduce traffic congestion.
Cities like Charlotte, Seattle, Boston, and Dallas are all reaping the benefits of light rail, with upwards of $18B in economic impact to North Texas since DART’s completion.
Imagine a day where the beach, the club, the park, or the office is only an express train away. No dealing with traffic, no DUI’s and distracted drivers. No stopping to get gas. No paying for a $40 Uber.
The future is possible if we make it.
THE THREATS
TO LIGHT RAIL.
Light Rail Expansion is under attack in Hampton Roads.
Chesapeake is currently considering Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a preferred method of transport for its residents. BRT struggles to meet demand, requires heavier staffing, localizes pollution, and costs more long-term to upkeep than to deploy.
Light Rail is high capacity, clean, and doesn’t rely on traffic times for its ETA. Its prominence attracts more would-be drivers off the roads, and onto rapid transit.
Virginia Beach continues to push back against The Tide’s expansion. The Tide would greatly reduce parking congestion at the Oceanfront, drive higher property values, reduce traffic times, and give residents more flexibility on their commutes.
RIDE THE TIDE.
-
The Tide runs Eastbound towards EVMC Fort Norfolk, and Westbound towards Newtown Road along I-264.
Harbor Park, Military Highway, and Newtown Road stations all offer parking.
Fares start at $2 for adults, $1 for Disabled and Elderly, Free for Children and Students
There is NO FARE during Tides games and certain events.
Hop on and enjoy!
-
Use your voice! Reach out to lawmakers and express your demands for light rail expansion in Hampton Roads.
Ridership is important too! Many transit agencies and government officials use ridership to determine where to improve service.
-
Hamton Roads is already looking at rapid transit options to reduce traffic and provide residents with more commute choices.
BRT relies on traffic, it localizes pollution, it lacks the same high capacity as rail, requires heavier staffing, and, of course, causes more road damage.
If we build out BRT, we risk more years of disruptive road work for a system that fails to attract commuters and would-be drivers.
Thankfully, we already have a Light Rail system, and it needs to be put to good use.
Light Rail is quiet, quick, clean, and efficient, and carries more passengers than BRT could. It’s easier to use and identify too, which attracts more people to use the system. More people using rail means less people driving, helping drivers and bus operators with better traffic times.
The point being—if we’re already going to build out rapid transit, why not do it right the first time?
BRT will cost more in the long run than light rail, and often times takes the same time to complete as light rail projects.
Our residents deserve a quality system that meets their needs.