Hampton Roads Transportation Planning OrganizationHRTPO
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Signature Paths in Hampton Roads

Signature Paths in Hampton Roads

The purpose of this study is to help local government improve the existing active transportation (pedestrian and bicycle) network in Hampton Roads in a cost-effective way, by locating inactive rail right-of-ways and analyzing the costs and benefits of converting them to multi-use trails. Based on original research of existing rail-trails in the U.S. (including Hampton Roads), staff has prepared both quantitative and qualitative measures of candidate rail-trails.

First, staff located inactive rail lines in Hampton Roads, shown below.

Inactive Rail Right-Of-Ways in Hampton Roads

 

Secondly, staff developed three (3) quantitative measures for these 14 candidate trails:

  1. Estimating impact on usage of active transportation
  2. Estimating rail-trail impact on real estate values
  3. Estimating cost of candidate rail-trails (excluding right-of-way and bridges)

Estimating impact on usage of active transportation:

Estimating rail-trail impact on real estate values:

In addition, staff prepared two maps for each of the 14 candidate rail-trails:

  1. Public Facilities in the trail vicinity
  2. Demographics and Networks in the trail vicinity

An example of a Public Facilities map is shown below for the “Churchland” candidate trail.:

As next steps, HRTPO staff plans to:

  • Propose that the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) form an ad-hoc committee to examine extending the Capital Trail down the Peninsula from Williamsburg.
  • Lead the region in FY17 in developing an Active Transportation Plan for Hampton Roads.

 

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