There hasn't been much to say about the transportation issues in Hampton Roads because there hasn't been much progress concerning any of those said issues in well over a year. The last interesting thing to happen was that attempts to create a Port Authority in the region failed miserably. Aside from that there was an interesting report about the poor state of the bridges in the Pilot and talk of Light Rail, which for years was mere code for what Norfolk and Norfolk alone attempted to do to remedy their issues. Norfolk has the highest population density, so it would make sense that Norfolk was the one pushing ahead with plans to improve their public infrastructure.
Now Virginia Beach is seriously considering light rail again. But there really isn't much to talk about here but the idea that the leadership there is at least open and receptive to the idea. The residents most likely are not, for many of the same reasons they have been against other public projects that they will have to pay for that someone else would use, like the Convention Center for example. Good news if you're in Norfolk wanting to travel to Virginia Beach, bad news if you are in Norfolk and people in Virginia Beach would prefer that you stay in Norfolk because of the bad element that you bring to VB, or perhaps you are that element yourself.
People cry foul and suggest or hint at racism concerning this? I'm not so sure why anyone is surprised and am speechless nor why anyone would be; if you have money in HR you would and probably already have moved to VB to get away from those who do not. If you have a little bit of money, but not a whole lot, you have probably already moved to Chesapeake and if you're one of the better off working poor but can see the middle class at the end of the tunnel you probably found your way to Suffolk. The misnomer is that entire cities are just ghettos, like Newport News or Portsmouth. The reality is that there are better areas in each city, just that the overall economic conditions in each city point to a different perception. Even Virginia Beach has slums if you are willing to go out of your way to find them.
Of course the bridges are still in poor shape; considering the age of these bridges, I am thankful that I do most if not everything in Chesapeake and Norfolk and do not have to travel across these. I feel sorry for anyone who does, in fact my heart and prayers go out to them. But if you're complaining about Virgina Beach keep in mind that no one in the region has to go there any more than anyone in New York has to go to Manhattan. Chances are if you have one of those better jobs in which you could afford to live there comfortably you don't have those issues to begin with. It's just the human nature of classism and socioeconomics rearing its ugly head. There is plenty everywhere, those that actually wants the little bit of money that you have to spend, without your having to endure the indifference you perceive on the Beach.
