By Benito O. Pérez
HRTPO Transportation Engineer

Many people in Hampton Roads are reliant on the car for their livelihood. Whether it is to go to work, to shop, or to run to the beach in the summer, the majority of people in Hampton Roads rely on the auto to get them there. In fact, in 2010, 80.9% of Hampton Roads residents relied on the auto to get to work. This represents a 2.5% increase since 2000 (Source: US Census Bureau).
 
There are various modes of public transportation available as alternatives to the car in the Hampton Roads region. Public transportation in Hampton Roads includes:

From this array of transit services available in Hampton Roads, there are approximately 1.6 million passenger trips monthly across the regional public transportation system in 2010 (Source: National Transit Database).

As part of a larger national study, Bradley Lane of the University of Texas at El Paso conducted research exploring the relationship between fuel prices and transit ridership. Lane notes in his research, ‘[For] every 10 percent increase in fuel costs led to an increase in bus ridership of up to 4 percent, and a spike in rail travel of up to 8 percent. These results suggest a "significant untapped potential" for transit ridership.’

Evaluating fuel prices and transit ridership trends in Hampton Roads from January 2005 through October 2011, similar results to the Lane study can be found. As fuel prices rose 129% between January 2005 and July 2008, transit ridership increased 50%. Similarly, as fuel prices dropped 60% between July and December 2008, transit ridership decreased 20% in the same period.

Source: Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database
Source: AAA Fuel Gauge Report

As per Eric Jaffe's reporting in The Atlantic, Lane's analysis revealed two key relationships between gas prices and transit ridership. The first is what he calls an elasticity, which is essentially a behavioral response to an event. In this case the event is a change in gas prices, and the response is a shift in transit ridership. The second is what he calls a "lagged effect." That means that some elasticities — such as switching your commute from car to train — don't appear until several months after the initial change in fuel cost.

By Mike Kimbrel, Principal Transportation Engineer

September 7, 2011

The Regional Board Room, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia

1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 9:34 a.m.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (Oral comments - Limit 3 minutes per individual)
There were no speakers.

3. SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS (Written comments included in agenda packet)
The chair noted submitted public comments received.

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Gey moved to approve the agenda with no changes. Mr. Shea seconded the motion and it
passed unanimously.

5. MINUTES
Ms. Ham moved to approve the minutes as written. Mr. Yorks seconded the motion and it
passed unanimously.

6. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REVISION: REQUEST
TO TRANSFER CMAQ FUNDS – YORK COUNTY
Mr. Cross briefly described the request and moved approval of the CMAQ funds transfer and
associated TIP Amendment. Mr. Slaughter seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

7. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT:
COORDINATED PLAN PROJECTS
Mr. Paulus briefly explained the process by which the Coordinated Plan projects were
selected. Ms. Waterman moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Danker seconded the
motion and it passed unanimously.

8. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REVISION: REQUEST
TO TRANSFER CMAQ FUNDS – JAMES CITY COUNTY
Mr. Murphy briefly described the request and moved approval of the CMAQ funds transfer and
associated TIP Amendment. Mr. Nester seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

9. FY 2012-2015 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: HRTPO
Mr. Kimbrel briefed described the request to add projects that had been inadvertently omitted
from the FY 2012-2015 TIP. Mr. Gey moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. King
seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

10. FY 2012 UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM AMENDMENT
Ms. Ravanbakht briefly described the request. Mr. Allsbrook moved approval of the UPWP
Amendment. Mr. Shea seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

11. MILITARY TRANSPORTATION NEEDS STUDY – HIGHWAY NETWORK ANALYSIS:FINAL REPORT
Ms. Ravanbakht noted that the TTAC received a presentation on the draft report during its
July 2011 meeting and that the final report was ready for approval. Mr. Slaughter moved
approval of the final report. Mr. Pullen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

12. TRAFFIC IMPACT OF A HYPOTHETICAL INLAND PORT IN HAMPTON ROADS: FINAL REPORT
Ms. Ravanbakht noted that the TTAC received a presentation on the draft report during its
July 2011 meeting and that the final report was ready for approval. Mr. Allsbrook moved
approval of the final report. Mr. Shea seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

13. 2011 CMAQ/RSTP PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS: STATUS REPORT
Mr. Kimbrel briefed the TTAC on this item, noting that four Newport News CMAQ applications
were received the day after the August 17, 2011 deadline and that two Suffolk RSTP
applications were received on September 1, 2011. Mr. Kimbrel stated that HRTPO staff did
not see this to be a significant problem, but that it was being reported in the interest of full
disclosure and suggested that the TTAC take a position on whether the late applications
should be included in the 2011 CMAQ/RSTP Project Selection Process. Mr. King moved to
approve the inclusion of the six applications in the 2011 CMAQ/RSTP Project Selection
Process. Mr. Pullen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

14. TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMMING SUBCOMMITTEE
Mr. Kimbrel briefed the TTAC on this item, explaining each of the recommendations of the
TPS with regard to funds transfers and allocations. Mr. Lewis moved approval of all of the
TPS recommendations. Mr. Shea seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

15. AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY ANALYSIS – 2034 LRTP AND FY 2012-2015 TIP: DRAFT REPORT
Mr. Voigt briefed the TTAC on this item. Mr. Ponticello moved approval of the Air Quality
Conformity Analysis. Mr. Stringfield seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

16. TIGER III SUBMITTALS
Mr. Kimbrel noted that there were three TIGER proposals for which the applicant localities
had requested endorsement from the HRTPO Board. There was a discussion on whether the
proposals should be prioritized prior to consideration by the HRTPO Board. Mr. King moved
to have the HRTPO staff rank the projects based on the category in which each project falls in
the HRTPO Prioritization Tool and have that information provided for consideration by the
HRTPO Board during its September 15, 2011 meeting. Mr. Lewis seconded the motion and it
passed unanimously.

17. DISCUSSION ON TTAC OFFICERS AND MEMBERSHIP
Mr. Allsbrook stated that the Nominating Subcommittee had nominated Mr. Earl Sorey for
the office of TTAC Chair and Mr. Michael King for the office of TTAC Vice-Chair for the
upcoming year (October 2011 – September 2012). There was a brief discussion regarding a
submitted public comment that included recommendations on changes to the TTAC officers
and membership. Mr. Allsbrook moved to elect Mr. Sorey to the position of Chair and Mr. King
to the position of Vice-Chair for the upcoming year. Mr. Hartman seconded the motion and it
passed unanimously.

18. TTAC ACTION ITEMS: THREE-MONTH TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
This item was provided for informational purposes and the TTAC took no action.

19. FOR YOUR INFORMATION
This item was for informational purposes and the TTAC took no action.

20. OLD/NEW BUSINESS
There was no Old/New Business.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Keith Nichols
Senior Transportation Engineer

The roadway congestion we experience in our region is largely driven by our commuting decisions.  Previous articles in this series described congestion in Hampton Roads and how we commute.  This article will examine when we commute in Hampton Roads and how that impacts roadway congestion.

The U.S. Census Bureau, as part of the information they collect on commuting, produces data on the time of day that residents throughout the country leave for work.  According to this data, 75% of all commuters in Hampton Roads left for work between 5:00 am and 9:00 am daily in 2009.  During the busiest hour, which was between 7:00 am and 8:00 am in 2009, 26% of all Hampton Roads commuters left for work.  In raw numbers, this means that 208,000 people in Hampton Roads left for work between 7 am and 8 am, which means hundreds of thousands of vehicles are all on the regional roadway network at the same time.
 
These percentages have decreased slightly over the years.  In 1990, 77% of all Hampton Roads commuters left for work between 5:00 am and 9:00 am, and 28% left between 7:00 and 8:00 am.  In 2000, these percentages were 76% and 29% respectively.  With the population growing in Hampton Roads, however, many more commuters are on the roads now than were previously.  In fact, over 90,000 more people commuted to work in Hampton Roads between 5am and 9 am each day in 2009 than did in 1990.

This situation is not unique to Hampton Roads.  In the 35 comparable metropolitan areas throughout the country with a population between one and three million people, an average of 72% of commuters left for work between 5 am and 9 am in 2009, with 28% leaving between 7 am and 8 am.   Commuters in Hampton Roads, however, tend to leave for work earlier than in other large metropolitan areas, largely due to the earlier work schedules of the military.

The large number of commuters that are on the region's roadways at the same time contributes to the congestion levels we experience in Hampton Roads.  If Hampton Roads commuters could further spread out the time that they leave for work throughout the day, it would greatly decrease the amount of congestion we see throughout our region.

The next article in this series will look at where we commute and how that impacts congestion in our region.

Time Leaving for Work in Hampton Roads, 2009

Data source:  U.S Census Bureau.

Time Leaving for Work in Hampton Roads and Large Metro Areas, 2009

Data source:  U.S Census Bureau.

By Mike Kimbrel
Principal Transportation Engineer

The Regional Board Room
723 Woodlake Drive
Chesapeake, Virginia

1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 9:37 a.m.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (Oral comments - Limit 3 minutes per individual)
There were no speakers.

3. SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS (Written comments included in agenda packet)
The Chair recognized the submitted public comments.

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Lewis moved to approve the agenda with no changes. Mr. Raliski seconded the motion
and it passed unanimously.

5. MINUTES
Mr. Walton move to approve the minutes as written. Mr. Hartman seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

6. HRTPO CMAQ/RSTP PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS: REVISED CRITERIA AND POLICIES
Mr. Kimbrel explained that the TTS had recommended revisions to the HRTPO CMAQ/RSTP Project Selection Process criteria and policies to ensure that they account for the latest guidance from the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Mr. Lewis moved approval of the recommended changes to the CMAQ and RSTP Criteria and Policies. Mr. Cross seconded the motion. Mr. Hicks made a substitute motion to add the following change in the recommended revision to the RSTP criteria, “RSTP funds can be used for interstate improvements to assist in completing the phase funding of a project”, seconded by Mr. Slaughter. The substitute motion failed with seven members voting in favor of the substitute motion. A vote was then taken on the original motion made by Mr. Lewis and it passed with seven members voting in opposition.

Mr. Kimbrel then described a plan approved by the TTS for monitoring the status of CMAQ and RSTP projects to ensure that projects stay on schedule and that funds tied to those projects are being used efficiently and effectively. Mr. Lewis moved approval of the recommended project status monitoring plan. Mr. King seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

7. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: HAMPTON
Mr. Walton moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Slaughter seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

8. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: VIRGINIA BEACH
Mr. Pullen moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Schnaufer seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

9. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: YORK COUNTY
Mr. Cross moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Hicks seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

10. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: YORK COUNTY, JAMES CITY COUNTY, WILLIAMSBURG
Mr. Cross withdrew the TIP Amendment request.

11. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: NORFOLK
Mr. Brown moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Ms. Waterman seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

12. DRAFT HAMPTON ROADS TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMMING DOCUMENTS
Mr. Farmer briefed the TTAC on the draft CTB FY 2012-2017 Six-Year Improvement Program. This item was for informational purposes and the TTAC took no action.

Mr. Kimbrel then briefed the TTAC on the draft HRTPO FY 2012-2015 Transportation Improvement Program and requested that members submit comments on the Draft TIP document to HRTPO staff by COB on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. The TTAC took no action.

13. HRTPO 2034 LRTP: DRAFT LIST OF PROJECTS FOR AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY ANALYSIS
Ms. Stith briefed the TTAC on this item and requested that members submit comments on the 2034 LRTP draft list of project for air quality conformity analysis to HRTPO staff by COB on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. The TTAC took no action.

14. HRTPO FY 2012 UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM: DRAFT 2
Mr. Kimbrel briefed the TTAC on this item and requested that members submit comments on the draft UPWP to HRTPO staff by COB on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. The TTAC took no action.

15. CORRESPONDENCE OF INTEREST
The items listed under Correspondence of Interest were for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on the items listed under FYI.

16. FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The items listed under FYI were for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on the items listed under FYI.

17. OLD/NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Hicks inquired about the need to include two local projects in the 2034 LRTP for the air quality conformity analysis. It was determined that the projects did not need to be included for the air quality conformity analysis. The TTAC took no action on this item.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:03 a.m.

By Mike Kimbrel
Principal Transportation Engineer

1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 9:46 a.m. (Following ICG Meeting)

2. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (Oral comments - Limit 3 minutes per individual)
There were no speakers.

3. SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS (Written comments included in agenda packet)
The Chair recognized the submitted public comments.

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Gibson requested that a new agenda item be added after Item 14 to discuss amending the 2034 LRTP list of projects to change the Route 460 project from a study to a construction project. Mr. Hicks requested that a new agenda item be added after Item 11 to address a James City County TIP Amendment request. Mr. Gibson moved approval of the requested changes to the agenda. Mr. Abt seconded the motion and the agenda was approved with the
requested changes.

5. MINUTES
The minutes were approved with no changes.

6. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Mr. Schnaufer noted that the Nominating Committee had recommended Mr. Sorey for TTAC Chair and Mr. King for TTAC Vice-Chair. He then moved approval of the recommended officers. Mr. Drumwright seconded the motion and it was approved.

7. CMAQ/RSTP RECONCILIATION WORK: STATUS REPORT
Mr. Kimbrel briefed the TTAC on the status of reallocating CMAQ and RSTP funds found to be available from Categories A and C, noting that the total available funds had been reduced as a result of a determination by York County, James City County, and Williamsburg that two projects listed as Districtwide projects were underway projects as opposed to completed projects. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

8. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: CHESAPEAKE
Mr. Walton briefed the TTAC on the City’s request to reallocate RSTP and CMAQ funds, noting that some funds were being returned to the CMAQ Reserve. Mr. Walton moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Hicks seconded the motion and it was approved.

9. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: NEWPORT NEWS
Mr. Slaughter briefed the TTAC on the City’s request to reallocate CMAQ funds and moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Lewis seconded the motion and it was approved.

10. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: NORFOLK
Mr. Brown briefed the TTAC on the City’s request to reallocate CMAQ funds and moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Walton seconded the motion and it was approved.

11. FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: JAMES CITY COUNTY
Mr. Hicks briefed the TTAC on the County’s request to add the Skiffes Creek Connector to the FY 2009-2012 TIP as a Preliminary Engineering and Right of Way Only project and to transfer funds to the new project from the Route 60 Relocated project. Mr. Hicks moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Cross seconded the motion and it was approved.

New Item FY 2009-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT: JAMES CITY COUNTY
Mr. Hicks briefed the TTAC on the County’s request to reallocate CMAQ and RSTP funds and moved approval of the TIP Amendment. Mr. Walton seconded the motion and it was approved.

12. REVIEW OF THE FY 2012-2017 SIX-YEAR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROCESS: VDOT
Mr. Jack briefed the TTAC on the roles and responsibilities of the various entities involved in the development of the SYIP. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

13. I-64 PENINSULA STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT: VDOT
Mr. Nies briefed the TTAC on the purpose of the study, as well as the timeline and current status. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

14. 2034 LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN: STATUS REPORT
Ms. Ravanbakht noted that the Recommended List of Projects and Studies that was approved by the HRTPO Board during its March 2011 meeting was enclosed. She further noted that the document had been widely distributed, and that recipients included the Governor, Secretary of Transportation, and members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Ms. Stith then briefed the TTAC on the status of the 2034 LRTP development, noting the tasks completed to date as well as the schedule of remaining tasks to be completed by January 2012. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

New Item AMENDING THE RECOMMENDED LIST OF PROJECTS AND STUDIES FOR THE 2034 LRTP TO SHOW THE ROUTE 460 PROJECT AS A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Mr. Gibson noted that the current Recommended List of Projects and Studies for the 2034 LRTP includes the Route 460 project as a study, but that the PPTA process makes the construction of the Route 460 project financially-constrained. As such, Mr. Gibson moved that the Recommended List of Projects and Studies for the 2034 LRTP be amended to show the project as a construction project. Mr. Ponticello seconded the motion and it was approved.

15. INRIX NATIONAL TRAFFIC SCORECARD
Mr. Nichols briefed the TTAC on the INRIX National Traffic Scorecard 2010 Annual Report,which details the status of congestion in the largest 100 metropolitan areas across the country. The congestion information is based on travel speed information collected from over 4 million GPS-equipped vehicles, as well as consumer cellular GPS-based devices. This item was for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on this item.

16. CORRESPONDENCE OF INTEREST
There were no items this month.

17. FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Chair noted the item on the VDOT public hearing on the draft Six-Year Improvement Program that is scheduled for April 27, 2011 at the Regional Building, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia. The items listed under FYI were for informational purposes. The TTAC took no action on the items listed under FYI.

18. OLD/NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Hicks stated that there was a recent public meeting in James City County on the Mooretown Road Corridor Extension, noting that over 70 people attended the meeting. He expressed special appreciation to Ms. Ravanbakht for her attendance and presentation during the public meeting. The TTAC took no action on this item.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:04 a.m.

Keith Nichols
Senior Transportation Engineer

HRTPO recently released the Average Weekday Traffic Volumes for Major Roadways in Hampton Roads report.  This report, which is annually updated by HRTPO staff, includes the average weekday traffic volumes for every major roadway throughout the region for the years 2005 - 2010.  The traffic volumes contained within this report are collected from a variety of sources, including the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), localities in Hampton Roads, consultants, the regional bridge and tunnel facilities, and tolled facilities.  In places where traffic counts have not been collected during this time period, traffic volume estimates are provided when available.
 
The Average Weekday Traffic Volumes for Major Roadways in Hampton Roads report is located on the HRTPO website at  http://hrtpo.org/Documents/AnnuallyUpdateDocuments/RegionalTrafficVolumes.pdf.

March 17, 2011
The Regional Board Room, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia

1.    CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at approximately 10:30 a.m.

2.    PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
A private citizen and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Commonwealth Transportation Board, and the Greater Norfolk Corporation addressed the HRTPO Board.

3.    SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS
A submitted written public comment was provided to the HRTPO Board.

4.    APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A new agenda item was added to be discussed under Agenda Item #20 New Business at the request of the Citizen Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) Chair.  Furthermore, the Executive Director requested to move Agenda Item #9 FY 2012-2015 Transportation Improvement Program: Draft Project List from the Consent Agenda to the Regular Agenda.

CONSENT AGENDA:
Agenda items under the Consent Agenda were approved by the HRTPO Board.

5.    Minutes

6.    FY 2009-2012 Transportation Improvement Program Amendment: VDOT

7.    FY 2009-2012 Transportation Improvement Program Revision: Virginia Beach

8.    Hampton Roads 2030 LRTP and FY 2009-2012 Transportation Improvement Program Air Quality Conformity: Final Report

10.    Freight Transportation Advisory Committee: Membership

11.    FY 2012 Federal Grant Application: Rural Transportation

REGULAR AGENDA:

9.    FY 2012-2015 Transportation Improvement Program: Draft Project List
The HRTPO Board approved the draft project list and appendix materials so that work may begin on the Air Quality Conformity analysis in April 2011.

12.    Transportation Project Prioritization: CTAC Resolution
This item was for informational purposes only.  The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.

13.    Transportation Project Prioritization: Recommended List of Projects and Studies
The HRTPO Board approved to the Recommended Transportation Project and Studies Priorities list.

14.    Allocating CMAQ and RSTP Funds Through FY 2017
The HRTPO Board approved the Additional New CMAQ & RSTP Allocations (Tables 2 & 5), as well as the TIP amendment to incorporate the new project and funding information into the FY 2009-2012 TIP, with two opposing votes from the Virginia Department of Transportation and Hampton Roads Transit representatives.

15.    Transit Vision Plan: Final Report and Resolution
The HRTPO Board approved to the report and the resolution.

16.    High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail: Status Update
The HRTPO Board approved the authorization of the Executive Director to continue working with the high-speed rail consultant to evaluate the status of the federal programs, work in harmony with DRPT regarding their efforts, and craft a scope of work that is responsive to the federal program and not duplicative of DRPT’s efforts.

17.    HRTPO Board Action Items: Three-Month Tentative Schedule
This item was for informational purposes only.  The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.

18.    Correspondence of Interest
This item was for informational purposes only.  The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.

19.    For Your Information
This item was for informational purposes only.  The HRTPO Board took no action on this item.

20.    Old/New Business
At the request of the CTAC Chair, a new agenda item was created to address renewing membership to those CTAC members with expiring term limits.  The HRTPO Board approved the renewal of the membership of those CTAC members with a one-year initial term limit to an additional three-year term, as well as authorized the Executive Director to coordinate with localities to fill vacant CTAC membership positions.

ADJOURNMENT

Kendall Miller

Public Involvement and Community Outreach Administrator

Although newspapers are reaching fewer and fewer citizens, more than 100 million Americans log onto Facebook daily. Consequently, the Internet has now surpassed television as the most viewed media in the United States. While Facebook was once only a vehicle for reaching younger demographics, social networking has grown in popularity among seniors and baby boomers. In fact, citizens over age 35 are the fastest growing Facebook demographic.  As a result, HRTPO has launched its new Facebook  site.  In addition to information about HRTPO meetings, projects and initiatives the Facebook site will stream content from other partner sites, using  Facebook applications such as RSS feeds, MyFlickr, and YouTube Video Box.  Check out our new Facebook site at Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization.