NORFOLK MULTI-MODAL

TRANSPORTATION CENTER – PHASE I

Connecting Transportation and Communities

US Department of Transportation TIGER II Program Grant Application

City of Norfolk, Virginia
August 2010
 Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

Table of Contents
I. Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2

II. Project Parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13

III. Grant Funds and Sources/Uses of Project Funds. . . . . . . . Page 15

IV. Selection Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . Page 17

V. Project Readiness and NEPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 25

VI. Federal Wage Rate Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26

Cover Image: Multi-Modal Transportation Center Phase I Project

Title Page Image: Multi-Modal Transportation Center with Full Build Out of Related and Additional
Development to create connections to the City

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

I. Project Description
A. General Overview

The Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I project will connect

several major transportation modes at a key location in the greater downtown area of
Norfolk, Virginia to create the primary public transportation hub for the entire Hampton
Roads region in Southeastern Virginia. Its main benefits will be to improve passenger
convenience, reliability and options for residents, commuters and visitors while also cre-
ating a center of activity that will be a catalyst to help link and connect surrounding dis-
tricts and support new development and employment growth. Federal funding from the
TIGER II program in the amount of $10,000,000 is being requested for the Norfolk
Multi-Modal Transportation Center project which will be matched by $6,000,000 in local
Capital Improvement Program funding in order to create a true partnership in support of
this critically needed and beneficial transportation and community improvement.

The primary components of the innovative Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation

Center Phase I project included in the current grant request and shown in Figure 1 are: (1)
construction of a new rail station for intercity passenger rail service; (2) development of a
relocated inter-regional bus transfer center for nine routes on the existing Hampton Roads
Transit (HRT) network; (3) completion of a new passenger ferry dock and landing; and
(4) creation of quality pedestrian linkages between these travel modes and also the Nor-
folk TIDE Light Rail Transit (LRT) station already under construction adjacent to the
proposed Multi-Modal Transportation Center site. Related parking and circulation im-
provements for these facilities, including bicycle paths, will also be included in the initial
phase of work. Each of the primary grant project components are discussed in greater de-
tail below.

FIGURE 1: Multi-Modal Transportation Center Phase I Components

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 Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

The project encompasses both new and relocated transportation facilities and
modes and creates travel and connection options that do not currently exist in the regional
network to improve choice and support greater use of public transportation services. It is
a unique opportunity to create jobs and foster community development in conjunction
with the development of improved transportation services and options in support of a
more sustainable regional transportation future.

B. Project Location, Existing Conditions and City-Wide Framework

The Multi-Modal Transportation Center site is located in Norfolk along the East-
ern Branch of the Elizabeth River immediately east of the Harbor Park baseball stadium.
The site is accessed via Park Avenue and is located just to the south of the interchange of
Interstate 264 and Tidewater Drive (SR 337). Downtown Norfolk is located to the west
of the project site, and Norfolk State University is to the east.

The project site is currently underutilized as a surface parking lot by both baseball
patrons and downtown commuters. The entire project site is owned by the City of Nor-
folk, so no property acquisitions will be required to build the proposed facilities. Figure 2
includes two diagrams detailing the project location, its relationship to the regional trans-
portation network, the TIDE light rail alignment, Downtown and Norfolk State Univer-
sity, and Harbor Park and an aerial photograph illustrates existing site conditions.

FIGURE 2:
Project Location, Relationship to the Re-
gional Transportation Network and Existing
Site Conditions

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

FIGURE 3:

Norfolk Multi-
Modal Transporta-
tion Center Con-
nectivity

The Multi-Modal Transportation Center as detailed in Figure 3 will link together

seven modes of transport: (1) Intercity and High Speed Rail; (2) Light Rail Transit; (3)
Passenger Ferry; (4) I-264 access; (5) Regional bus service; (6) Local street networks in-
cluding pedestrian and bicycle facilities; and (7) Remote parking. The proposed project
site is located in an area in which some of these existing facilities already exist. Unfortu-
nately, their current physical configuration does not connect them in order to create an
integrated system. Instead, it creates a series of barriers that block such connections. The
Multi-Modal Transportation Center is a first step towards creating an integrated frame-
work of transportation and pedestrian scale public open spaces that can create a network.
Its location adjacent to Harbor Park provides a means of creating pedestrian scale con-
nections and provides an additional basis for attracting users. It will make possible alter-
native transportation modes to a wide range of potential users.

The barriers created by the present configuration of the transportation system in

the vicinity separate multiple areas of the City, which need to brought together including
Downtown Norfolk, a future waterfront park, an aging public housing community, an un-
derutilized industrial corridor, a redevelopment area, a distressed urban neighborhood and
Norfolk State University. As the integrated framework of transportation and pedestrian
scale public spaces grows from the Multi-Modal Transportation Center, it will connect
with and tie together these very different areas. It will provide appropriate sites for new
economic development related to the Downtown, waterfront, neighborhood and univer-
sity areas.

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 Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

As these new connections are implemented over time, currently isolated and dis-
tressed neighborhoods will have access to employment, educational, and recreational op-
portunities, and dramatic waterfront sites will make mixed income and mixed use devel-
opment marketable. Figures 4 and 5 detail how the Multi-Modal Transportation Center is
both catalyst and focus for creating this interconnected network and how it is linked to
linked to a series of development opportunities along Norfolk’s LRT system including a
former industrial waterfront redevelopment adjacent to the Medical Center, underutilized
properties at the edges of Downtown adjacent to economically distressed neighborhoods,
and underutilized industrial areas between Downtown and Norfolk State University.

FIGURE 4:
Framework of Transportation and Pe-
destrian Open Space Linking to the
Multi-Modal Center

FIGURE 5:
City-Wide Connections Along
Light Rail Transit

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

C. Plan of Development

Initial planning work has detailed how all the components of the Norfolk Multi-
Modal Transportation Center will be arranged and built on the identified site. Figure 6
details the conceptual site plan for the Phase I Multi-Modal Transportation Center devel-
opment addressed in this application.

FIGURE 6:
Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center
Phase I Conceptual Site Plan

D. Phase I Principle Construction Project Components – Detailed Description

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

1. Passenger Rail Station

The Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center Phase I project will construct a

passenger rail station to serve both the upcoming restoration of intercity passenger rail
service to Norfolk in the near term and also future regional commuter and high speed rail
services. The proposed Multi-Modal Transportation Center rail station in Phase I will
measure approximately 3,200 square feet and be built to meet all the requirements and
standards of an Amtrak “Medium” facility including areas for ticketing, passenger wait-
ing, baggage handling, restrooms, and office space. The access and circulation plan for
the station site will accommodate passenger drop-off, taxi queuing, and a cell phone wait-
ing area. In addition, the design for the facility will seek to incorporate elements of the
Great American Stations Project in order to help make this new station a signature re-
gional asset and community meeting place.

Development projected as a result of the first phases of rail service call for com-
mercial use which are illustrated as small structures attached to the pedestrian arcade in
the proposal. As demand grows a larger office structure can be added so the initial in-
vestment becomes a framework for new economic development. Subsequent phases and
related development extend this framework further by creating a major public space
along Harbor Park and linking to connections to the waterfront and downtown. Figure 7
illustrates the historic Union Station and the proposed Station as it will be in later phases
with additional development. The small station in the left foreground, built as part of
Phase I will remain in later phases.

FIGURE 7:
Historic Norfolk Union Station (1912-1963) and Future Station Complex

The general area of the Multi-Modal Transportation Center site served as the his-
toric home for train travel to and from the region until the 1960’s when service to the
south side of the Hampton Roads region was ended. Norfolk Union Station, which was
completed in 1912, stood just to the west of where the proposed new train station will be

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

built. At its peak, three separate railroads – the Norfolk and Western, Southern, and Vir-
ginian – served the Norfolk terminal.

Timely construction of the proposed new rail station as part of the Multi-Modal
Transportation Center project is critical since the Virginia Department of Rail and Public
Transportation (VDRPT) is currently advancing a project to reintroduce a direct passen-
ger rail connection to and from Norfolk to Richmond, VA, Washington DC, and other
cities on the northeast corridor for the first time since the early 1970’s. Approximately
$93 million in Commonwealth of Virginia funding has been allocated to improvements in
the rail corridor south of the James River between Petersburg, VA and Norfolk needed to
implement this service.

The current schedule calls for a single train daily to and from Downtown Norfolk
to be in operation by 2013. Opportunities to increase the frequency of Norfolk service
above the initial single daily train will be dependent upon both the ridership experience
and the availability of sufficient operating subsidy funds.

The current VDRPT project will construct both a new pull through siding track
for passenger train use and also a 1,000 foot long platform for passenger loading and
unloading adjacent to the Multi-Modal Transportation Center site. However, the State
program does not include funds to build a new terminal station in Norfolk, so without this
project, all passenger activities would have to take place on the platform. While func-
tional, this approach is inferior to having a quality, stand alone station facility in place
offering a full range of services and amenities to travelers.

As noted above, the Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center train station is

also being developed to support future high speed rail service between the Hampton
Roads region in Southeastern Virginia and the emerging national network as put forward
in the US Department of Transportation’s Vision for High Speed Rail in America (April
2009). A Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating options for High
Speed Rail service connecting to Hampton Roads is currently being advanced. The pro-
ject public hearing phase was completed in January 2010 with both the Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO) for the Hampton Roads region and Virginia’s Common-
wealth Transportation Board endorsing the selection of the route from Petersburg to Nor-
folk terminating at the Multi-Modal Transportation Center site as the recommended op-
tion for development as the future high speed rail connection to the region. Map 1 details
this plan for high speed rail to Norfolk and the Hampton Roads region.

The regional MPO is concurrently advancing with the State’s EIS effort a study to
develop a strategic vision plan for passenger rail development to the region. The initial
findings of this work have identified that there is a very strong market for passenger rail
service in the region. Of particular note is the large military presence in the region and its
needed connections to the Washington DC area. The next phase of work on the vision
plan over the remainder of 2010 will help to refine potential markets for new intercity

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

passenger service in Hampton Roads and logical steps to be followed in transitioning

from conventional to frequent high speed rail.

MAP 1:
Recommended High Speed Rail
Plan for Hampton Roads

A final potential user of the new passenger rail station would be any new regional
commuter rail services implemented within the region. The recently completed Transit
Vision Plan for Hampton Roads identified several possible commuter rail routes connect-
ing to the Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center site. The second phase of this re-
gional transit study is currently underway and will refine any such service recommenda-
tions for future planning.

2. Regional Bus Transfer Center

The Multi-Modal Transportation Center Phase I project will also include con-
struction of a new regional bus transfer facility with up to ten parking stalls for buses on
the established Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) regional network to facilitate the easy
transfers between both routes and modes. The bus transfer facility will be designed
around a central island to permit the safe transfer of passengers between routes without
having to cross circulating traffic. The center island will also contain passenger shelters,
information kiosks, ticket vending machines, and seating for waiting patrons. Bus riders
at the site will also be able to easily access all the amenities at the adjacent passenger rail
station providing for a higher level of service quality than is available at present.

Development of the new bus transfer center would have the dual benefit of di-
rectly connecting the current regional bus transit system to the new multi-modal hub
while also serving to reduce congestion at the existing substandard major bus transfer lo-
cation in Norfolk. The current primary bus transfer site in Norfolk, labeled Cedar Grove,
is located just north of Downtown at the intersections of Monticello Avenue and Virginia
Beach Boulevard in the rear of a fourteen acre surface parking lot that is utilized for re-

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 Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

mote parking. This site was drafted into use quickly and with minimal improvements in
March 2008 when the prior on-street transfer location in the downtown district was dis-
placed by new construction on adjacent parcels.

At present, 17 routes on the HRT network serve the Cedar Grove site, and be-
tween 6,000 – 7,000 passengers board or alight daily at the facility. The general condi-
tions of the Cedar Grove site combined with its lack of amenities, poor pedestrian link-
ages and connections, and also its remoteness from downtown activity centers combine to
make the restructuring of the primary bus transfer operation in Norfolk a high priority.
Its lack of a direct connection to the light rail corridor is also another detriment of the
current site. The photographs in Figure 8 show some of the current conditions at Cedar
Grove together with a view of the proposed new transfer site

FIGURE 8:
Cedar Grove Transfer Center Current Conditions and View of Proposed Multi-Modal Center Bus Transfer Facility

It is planned that the new bus transfer operation at the Multi-Modal Transporta-
tion Center will serve 9 current HRT bus routes operating to the Downtown Norfolk area
generally from areas to the south and east. Concurrent to this restructuring of the transit
network, 6 other bus routes to the downtown area from the west and north would also be
realigned to serve other light rail stations which will help to further deemphasize and
limit congestion at the Cedar Grove site and thereby improving passenger service and
convenience across the entire bus transit network.

3. Passenger Ferry Dock and Landing

A new passenger ferry dock and landing will be constructed on the Elizabeth
River waterfront immediately adjacent to the Multi-Modal Transportation Center site as
part of the Phase I project. The new ferry landing and connecting docking facilities will
be fully accessible under the Americans with Disability Act and be able to accommodate
passenger vessels of varying sizes and configurations in order to accommodate possible
increases in regional ferry services over time.

At present, HRT operates a passenger ferry between the downtown waterfronts of

Portsmouth and Norfolk as an effective alternative to the highly congested Downtown

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

Tunnel/Berkley Bridge complex on I-264 between the cities. Reconfiguring this water-
borne transit service to provide a direct linkage to the new multi-modal connection op-
tions available at the project site would provide greatly enhanced travel opportunities
over present conditions. The current primary ferry landing dock in Norfolk is located in
the heart of the downtown core at a festival marketplace along the riverfront. However,
there is only walk access to the site offering no direct connections to other transit ser-
vices.

Currently, there is some minimal ferry service to the Harbor Park area. However,
this is limited to just the hours immediately before and after baseball games. More sig-
nificantly, the current ferry dock serving Harbor Park is located on the west side of the
stadium which is too far removed from the remainder of the Multi-Modal Transportation
Center site to provide effective and convenient connections between modes. Accord-
ingly, relocation of the ferry terminal to an existing pier site east of the stadium and adja-
cent to the Multi-Modal site is now planned. Once in place, the ferry operating plan for
Norfolk would serve both the existing primary dock landing in the core area as well as
the new dock location at the Multi-Modal Transportation Center greatly increasing travel
options above current conditions.

FIGURE 9:
HRT Elizabeth River
Ferry and Proposed
Ferry Terminal

Similar to the passenger rail station discussion, the region’s Transit Vision Plan
recommends an expanded role for the Multi-Modal Transportation Center ferry dock site
in the future. Several potential new, high speed ferry services connecting Downtown
Norfolk with both the region’s largest employment center at the Norfolk Naval Base as
well as the Cities of Hampton and Newport News on the opposite side of Hampton Roads
are supported in the report. This service, if implemented, will further define the Norfolk
Multi-Modal Transportation Center as the region’s preeminent hub for public transporta-
tion services.

4. Pedestrian and Bicycle Routes and Connections

Key to tying the various components of the Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation

Center will be quality pedestrian linkages and paths between all the modes at the site to
direct and facilitate passenger movements. A variety of design strategies will be used to
develop quality, well defined and safe pedestrian corridors for transit passengers access-

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 Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

ing or transferring between available modes, including the following which are keyed to
Figure 10 below:

1. Grand Arrival Plaza: The station will face Park Avenue. Access lanes for cars
and buses, with some short term parking and stopping lanes will be configured in
a one way loop. The space along Park Avenue will be heavily landscaped to
screen views of the expressway structures.
2. Covered Arcade: The LRT Station and the Train Platform are on opposite corners
of the Grand Plaza. The two will be connected with a covered pedestrian arcade
that will also define two sides of the Plaza to create an urban space.
3. Pedestrian Paths: Well landscaped and lit paths will extend from this arcade: (a)
one south to the Ferry terminal and the Elizabeth Riverfront; (b) one west through
the existing parking area to connect with the public space in the front of Harbor
Park; and (c) a crosswalk to a tree lined sidewalk leading along Park Avenue to
East Main Street, the principal connection to Downtown.
4. Elizabeth River Trail: A multi-use path, labeled the Elizabeth River Trail,
stretches along the riverfront for approximately 10 miles and traverses the Multi-
Modal Transportation site providing another alternative mode of access to the
facility. Upgrades to this established trail route will also be made as part of the
project to reinforce its linkage to the Multi-Modal site from other areas along the
route.

FIGURE 10:
Multi-Modal Transpor-
tation Center Pedestrian
Improvements and Con-
nections

E. Project Coordination

All Phase I work included in this application is being advanced within the context
of a larger master planning process for full build out of the Norfolk Multi-Modal Trans-
portation Center site over future decades. The key factor related to the phased develop-
ment of the facility over time will be the growth over time in intercity, commuter and fu-

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

ture high speed rail service to the site which in turn will drive the need for station expan-
sion including increases in the number and types of sidings, total parking demand, and
associated spin-off development potential. Figure 11 shows a concept plan for the Multi-
Modal Transportation Center at full build-out.

FIGURE 11:
Multi-Modal Trans-
portation Center
Full Build-Out Con-
cept Proposal

This coordinated planning process for the Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation

Center will ensure that the Phase I investments to be undertaken in the immediate term
will be fully compatible with all other work proposed in later phases of development. The
project is also fully coordinated with current ongoing major capital projects for both light
rail and intercity passenger rail connecting to the site. Norfolk Southern Corporation
which owns and operates the rail right-of-way adjacent to the project area is also a part-
ner in the master planning effort.

II. Project Parties

The City of Norfolk will be responsible for receiving, managing, and implement-
ing the TIGER II grant in accordance with all federal requirements. Norfolk is an inde-

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

pendent, full service City with sole local government taxing power within its boundaries.
Its governing authority derives from a charter originally adopted by the General Assem-
bly of Virginia in 1918, which authorizes a council-manager form of government. The
Council members are elected to office under a ward based system. On July 1, 2006, Nor-
folk swore in the first mayor elected at large as a result of a State approved charter
change.

A Council appointed City Manager serves as the administrative head of the mu-
nicipal government. The City Manager carries out the City’s policies, directs business
procedures and appoints, with the power to remove the heads of departments and other
employees of the City except those otherwise covered by statutory provisions. The Nor-
folk operating budget for the current fiscal year totals approximately $784 million, with a
Capital Improvement Program of $170 million.

Founded in 1682, Norfolk grew up on the water, and its miles of lake, river and
bay front are central to many of its neighborhoods. The city's popular logo – an elegant
young mermaid – symbolizes 300 years of maritime and naval heritage and its modern
reputation as a city on the move.

Norfolk is now a city of nearly 237,000 residents and more than 100 diverse
neighborhoods. It is the cultural, educational, business and medical center of the
Hampton Roads region. Norfolk hosts the world's largest naval base, the region's
international airport and one of the busiest international ports on the East Coast of the
United States. The Virginia Symphony, Old Dominion University, Eastern Virginia
Medical School, Norfolk State University, Tides baseball and the Admirals hockey team
all call Norfolk home. Additionally, the City hosts state of the art research facilities,
shipping companies and an exuberant arts and cultural community.

The City is undergoing a successful renewal, including new office, retail,

entertainment and hotel construction downtown, new residential development along the
rivers and bay front, and revitalization projects in many of its neighborhoods. Norfolk
has added thousands of new residents to its downtown – turning it into a vibrant place to
live, visit or work. A light rail route through the heart of downtown is scheduled to open
in mid 2011.

Although not a formal co-applicant for this project, Hampton Roads Transit
(HRT) as the operator of many of the public transportation services to be combined at the
Multi-Modal Transportation Center has been fully involved in the planning for this facil-

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

ity and supports this application. HRT was established on October 1, 1999 through the
voluntary merger of the Pentran and Tidewater Regional Transit, the region’s two prior
public transportation agencies.

HRT is governed by the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads

(TDCHR). The TDCHR board has seventeen members broken down as follows: two ap-
pointed members from each of the seven cities served by the transit agency, two members
from the Virginia General Assembly, and one representing the Commonwealth Transpor-
tation Board. The TDCHR was established in accordance with Chapter 45 of Title 15.2
of the Code of Virginia, as amended, referred to as the Transportation District Commis-
sion Act of 1964 and by ordinances adopted by the governing bodies of its member gov-
ernments. The purpose of the Commission is to provide reliable and efficient transporta-
tion services and facilities to the Hampton Roads community.

The HRT service area includes the Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk,
Newport News, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach in Southeastern Virginia. The
total population in the transit agency’s 369 square mile service area is approximately 1.2
million people.

The transit agency currently operates a variety of services including regional bus,
express bus, shuttles, passenger ferry, commuter alternatives/ridesharing programs, and
paratransit operations. In addition, light rail transit in Norfolk will begin revenue service
in May 2011. At present, HRT operates 51 bus routes and requires almost 225 peak ve-
hicles across its entire service platform and serves over 22 million passengers annually.

III. Grant Funds and Sources/Uses of Project Funds

The budget for the Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I project
is $16 million. Table 1 details the sources of funds for the project which is split between
local and grant funds. Norfolk’s readiness to match federal funds far above the required
minimum is representative of both the high priority attached to the Multi-Modal Trans-
portation Center and the City’s strong commitment to the project. The local matching
funds for this grant are allocated in the City’s approved Capital Improvement Program
budget for Fiscal Years 2011-12.

Table 2 on the following page displays the proposed uses of funds to construct all
of the various project elements identified in this application for Phase I of the Multi-
Modal Transportation Center.

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 Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

TABLE 1:

Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I

Sources of Project Funds

Funding Source Amount

US Department of Transportation TIGER $10,000,000

Program Funds

City of Norfolk Capital Improvement $6,000,000

Program Funds

TOTAL $16,000,000

TABLE 2:

Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I

Uses of Project Funds

Quantity Description Unit Total MLE (1) Ext. Total Total

(Incl. O&P) (2)
1 Mobilization/Demobilization JOB $ 250,000
3,200 Passenger Rail Station SF $ 500 $ 1,600,000 $ 1,920,000
9,000 Pedestrian Walkways w/ Canopy SF $ 80 $ 720,000 $ 864,000
900 Parking Lot Resurfacing SPA $ 350 $ 315,000 $ 393,000
1 Bus Transfer Facility EA $ 600,000 $ 600,000 $ 750,000
1 Sitework, Lighting, Signage, EA $ 1,000,000 $ 1,000,000 $ 1,200,000
and Landscaping
1 Ferry Landing and Terminal EA $ 3,500,000 $ 3,500,000 $ 4,375,000
1 Utilities EA $ 2,000,000 $ 2,000,000 $ 2,400,000

$ 9,735,000 $ 12,152,000

Design @ 15% $ 1,822,800

Subtotal $ 13,974,800

Contingency $ 2,025,200
(1) Materials, Labor and Equipment
(2) Including Contractor’s Overhead and Profit TOTAL $ 16,000,000

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

IV. Selection Criteria

A. Long Term Outcomes

i. State of Good Repair

The Multi-Modal Transportation reinforces and strengthens several major re-

gional transportation improvements currently underway by providing an integrated trans-
fer point to facilitate the movement of passengers between modes, thereby increasing
travel opportunities and convenience. The Norfolk LRT and intercity passenger rail res-
toration efforts which are currently under construction together represent a total invest-
ment of more the $420 million in the regional transportation system. Ensuring the suc-
cess of these facilities which connect at the Multi-Modal Transportation Center site needs
to be of paramount importance so that the maximum benefit of the major investment in
these new transportation assets to the region can be realized. The Harbor Park LRT sta-
tion is forecast to have the second highest daily boardings of any station on the align-
ment. Increasing the accessibility and travel options at this location will clearly enhance
overall viability of the new LRT system.

The development of a new regional bus transfer center as a component of the

Multi-Modal Transportation Center project will also significantly improve conditions at
the problematic Cedar Grove location discussed previously. Since the parking lot area
currently being utilized for bus transfer operations was originally designed to support
light automobile parking using just a four inch asphalt surface, it was inadequate to sup-
port the weight of full sized transit buses. As a consequence, hundreds of daily bus
movements to this location almost immediately caused the pavement to sink and become
unstable which required significant repairs in order to create usable bus lanes and en-
trance and exit aprons. De-emphasizing the Cedar Grove bus transfer location given both
its physical conditions and also its remote location will vastly improve the state of the
regional transit network.

ii. Economic Competitiveness

The Multi-Modal Transportation Center will improve the economic competitive-

ness of Norfolk and the Hampton Roads region on multiple levels. First, as a major cen-
ter integrating public transportation modes and services throughout the region, the facility
will improve the long term efficiency and reliability of travel by workers. Travel conges-
tion and delays are increasing throughout the Hampton Roads region at present, and im-
proving the coordination and functioning of the overall public transportation network is a
key strategy in increasing productivity and competitiveness.

Secondly, the Multi-Modal Transportation Center project is essential to unlocking

the full development potential of the surrounding districts. The City of Norfolk is com-
mitted to realizing the benefits of major capital investments in transportation facilities

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Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center – Phase I
TIGER II Program Grant Application
City of Norfolk, Virginia

and systems as evidenced by the recently adopted Downtown Norfolk 2020 Plan: A Vi-
sion for the Next Decade which is focused on the integration of light rail transit into the
downtown area. To date, over $650 million in new investment as outlined by the plan is
either complete, under construction or planned around light rail stations in the greater
Downtown Norfolk area as summarized in Table 3.

TABLE 3
Current Development Initiatives at Downtown Norfolk Light Rail Stations

Station Area Development Value

Medical Center Station Fort Norfolk Plaza $ 70 M
Belmont at Freemason $ 45 M
Freemason/Museum Station
Residence Inn by Marriott $ 35 M
TCC Student Center $ 18 M
Monticello Station Virginia Arts Festival $ 3M
Wells Fargo Center $150 M
Slover Library $ 50 M
MacArthur Station
Westin Hotel/Conference Center $150 M
Government Center Station Norfolk Courts Complex $108 M
Norfolk State Station RISE Center $ 30 M
TOTAL DEVELOPMENT $659 M+

A similar land use planning approach is being followed for the area around the
Multi-Modal transportation project, including: (1) Mixed Use office and residential de-
velopment along East Main Street and around the waterfront adjacent to Harbor Park; (2)
The redevelopment of a 619 unit public housing community as a mixed use, mixed in-
come community; (3) The redevelopment of underutilized and vacant industrial proper-
ties along the waterfront and both sides of the expressway and adjacent to Norfolk State
University. These developments have been greatly hindered by the barriers created by
the existing expressway and street configuration which both create physical barriers and
fail to connect the local street system.

FIGURE 12:
Current Plans in the Area of the
Multi-Modal Center

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

The Multi Modal Center provides the first opportunity to bring together transpor-
tation and planning agencies to modify the existing system in order to reconnect these
now isolated areas of the city. The areas now separated by barriers as shown in Figure 13
include:

A. Downtown Norfolk: The thriving, mixed use walkable heart of the region.
B. Town Point Park and an expanded waterside park: The site for festivals, concerts,
a Maritime Museum, the Cruise Terminal, a hotel, retail, and the Elizabeth River
Trail to be extended to Harbor Park.
C. Tidewater Gardens: 619 unit public housing project to be redeveloped as mixed
use, mixed income neighborhood.
D. Tidewater Drive Industrial Corridor: Early Redevelopment Project, now outdated
and underutilized.
E. Brambleton South: Waterfront Redevelopment Area with underutilized land now
planned to be reconfigured
F. Brambleton: Publically owned vacant land adjacent to Norfolk State University
and an economically distressed community that has been difficult to develop as a
mixed use, research and office area

FIGURE 13:
Existing Barriers to the Multi-Modal Transportation Site
The concept plan calls for five urban connections to be created for overcoming
the barriers and bringing these separate areas together with each other. The existing
alignments of Park Avenue along (1) the Waterfront Park and (2) East main Street will be

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

enhanced to become pedestrian, mixed use streets through the coordinated development
of publically owned land along them. New alignments will be created to extend (3) City
Hall Avenue and (4) Tidewater Drive directly to the Multi-Modal Transportation Center
site. They currently lead to I-264 access ramps without connecting to each other or to the
Multi-Modal area. Figure 14 illustrates the small scale changes that are required to
transform the southern portion of Tidewater Drive into an urban boulevard to the Multi-
Modal Transportation Center and intersections at the end of the expressway ramps, as
well as creating a direct connection between City Hall Avenue and Harbor Park. Park
Avenue (5) will be extended and improved to the east of the Multi-Modal Center with
new development on publically owned land that is currently being assembled.

FIGURE 14:
Proposed Connections
to the Multi-Modal
Transportation Center

Figure 15 illustrates how these connections will create over time, a frame work of
transportation and public open space that will bring together Downtown, local neighbor-
hoods, areas for economic development and the Multi-Modal Transportation Center. This
framework will also serve to both attract and guide the development of mixed uses,
mixed income development along the connections in order to create a sustainable com-
munity. The small perspective drawing of the ultimate build out of the Multi-Modal
Transportation Center with related development illustrates the way the link north to
Tidewater Drive will create a major development as well as connections to the neighbor-
hood

FIGURE 15:
Transportation and Open
Space Framework Plan

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

Figure 16 illustrates how the ultimate build out of the Multi-Modal Transportation
Center looking west towards City Hall Avenue, East Main Street, and Waterfront Park
connections. The inset plan details the potential development sites along the connections.

FIGURE 16: Multi-Modal Transportation Center Full Build Out Concept and
Development Sites along Connecting Routes

ii. Livability

The Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center project concept has been con-
ceived and advanced to promote livability enhancements since one of its primary goals is
to create affordable and convenient transportation choices. By bringing together and co-
ordinating all major modes in a single location supported by new connections as shown in
Figure 12, the Multi-Modal Transportation Center will be a major new regional asset
which supports increased public transportation use in a manner and way currently not
present in Hampton Roads. The project also directly addresses many of the primary liv-
ability goals of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities program including:

(1) Creating more convenient transportation options for travelers;

(2) Improving existing transportation choices by enhancing points of modal
connection;
(3) Increasing the number of modes accommodated on existing assets;
(4) Reducing congestion on existing modal assets;

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

(5) Improving the accessibility and transport services for economically disad-
vantaged populations and non-drivers; and
(6) Advancing a process which coordinates transportation and land use plan-
ning decisions

iv. Sustainability

Increasing public transportation availability and usage through development of

the Multi-Modal Transportation Center project will help to improve regional air quality
which has been a continuing concern in Hampton Roads over several decades. At pre-
sent, the Hampton Roads metropolitan region is classified as a maintenance area under
the Clean Air Act, but it has been in non-attainment status at various times in the recent
past. Since preliminary findings indicate that the region could possibly be placed into the
non-attainment category again once the current Environmental Protection Agency proc-
ess to formally establish a new standard for ozone concentrations is completed, enhance-
ment of public transportation services must be a priority for Norfolk and the region. In-
creased usage of public transportation services to divert travel from private vehicles will
significantly advance sustainability goals of reducing the dependence on oil, while reduc-
ing greenhouse gas emissions.

v. Safety

By supporting and facilitating mode shifts away from driving and to public tran-
sit, the Multi-Modal Transportation Center will help to reduce accidents and improve
safety. As detailed in the Hampton Roads Regional Safety Study: General Crash Data
and Trends –2010 Update completed by the regional MPO, the City of Norfolk has the
third highest crash rate in the region at 2.40 crashes per million vehicle miles traveled and
the second highest total number of fatalities. Documented high accident intersections in
the area of the Multi-Modal Transportation Center include Saint Paul’s Boulevard at Wa-
terside Drive, City Hall Avenue at St. Paul’s Boulevard, and Monticello Avenue at Vir-
ginia Beach Boulevard.

As previously discussed, safety and security are significant concerns at the exist-
ing HRT Cedar Grove transfer location. Events at this location even include a homicide
in April 2009. Actions such as tree trimming and increased lighting have been under-
taken to improve conditions yet a completely safe environment cannot be provided given
the facility’s relative remoteness and its proximity to a cemetery rather than active uses.
Relocation of major portions of the HRT bus transfer operation function to the new
Multi-Modal Transportation Center will greatly improve safety for passengers and opera-
tors.

B. Job Creation and Economic Stimulus

The City of Norfolk is ready to begin work immediately on the Multi-Modal

Transportation Center – Phase I project upon receipt of grant notice to help stimulate job

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

growth, spending and economic recovery. Norfolk has the technical capacity to imple-
ment this project in accordance all applicable laws and regulations, using sound man-
agement practices. As detailed previously, the project is fully consistent will all local
plans and has also been endorsed by the regional MPO in June 2010. After grant notifi-
cation, the Multi-Modal Transportation Center in the region’s Long Range Transportation
Plan and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) documents and also the State TIP.

The local funding component is committed in the approved City of Norfolk Capi-
tal Improvement Program for the current fiscal year, and there are also sustainable
sources of revenue available for the long term operation of the Multi-Modal Transporta-
tion Facility. Table 4 details the proposed schedule for the project showing a steady and
expeditious activity to advance the project. It is estimated that the $16 million construc-
tion program will support between 15-40 direct, on-project jobs per quarter.

TABLE 4:
Multi-Modal Transportation Center Proposed Schedule

Activity Date
Design Start February 2011
Design Complete January 2012
Funds Obligated April 2012
Construction Start June 2012
Construction Complete September 2013

In contracting for all phases of the project, the City is committed to:

ƒ Providing the maximum practicable opportunities for all small businesses and
disadvantaged businesses.
ƒ Supporting entities that have a positive track record on labor practices and
compliance with Federal laws ensuring that workers are safe and treated
fairly.
ƒ Implementing best practices, consistent with federal rights and equal opportu-
nity laws for ensuring that all individuals regardless of race, gender, age, dis-
ability and national origin benefit from the TIGER II program.

C. Innovation

As outlined in the guidance for the TIGER II program, innovative multi-modal

projects are often difficult to fund under traditional transportation programs. Seeking in-
dividual funding for each of the components of the Multi-Modal Transportation Center
would almost invariably lead to disjointed construction and implementation so that criti-
cal elements of what should be a unitary facility to achieve maximum transportation
benefit, integration, and efficiency ultimately come on-line at varying times. The current
grant program therefore represents the best opportunity to develop the critically important

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk Multi-Modal Transportation Center as a single project on an advanced and uni-

fied schedule.

Technology enhancements will be incorporated into the design of the Multi-

Modal Transportation Center to inform passengers of the real time status of the modes
connecting to the facility. Such systems will also be able to make announcements and
relay critical information, improving the safety and welfare of passengers.

D. Partnership

The City of Norfolk and Hampton Roads Transit have a strong partnership built
over decades. There has been close collaboration on the preliminary planning for the
Multi-Modal Transportation Center, and this working relationship will continue through
all phases of the project. The other supporting partners with a direct interest in the Multi-
Modal Transportation Center, Norfolk Southern and the Virginia Department of Rail and
Public Transportation, have also been engaged and will remain involved throughout the
entire project so that all components will fit together and function well on the site. Public
outreach on the broader community livability components of the plan will also be sup-
ported. As discussed previously, the project also has full disciplinary integration with the
multiple planning initiatives and studies underway in the adjacent areas to the site since it
is a critical component to the future success of these efforts.

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

V. Project Readiness and NEPA

It is anticipated that all required Federal, State and local environmental approvals
related to construction of the Multi-Modal Transportation Center can be achieved in line
within the proposed project schedule. An early action item after a grant award will be the
development of an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the guidance of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the project. Since the site of the Multi-Modal
Transportation Center is relatively compact and contained and also is currently in active
use as a paved parking lot, environmental issues related to the proposed construction
should be minimal. Once the appropriate environmental record has been developed and
all needed coordination activities completed, it is believed that the Multi-Modal Trans-
portation Center project will qualify for a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) un-
der NEPA. TIGER II grant funds may be used for the EA and other similar activities.

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City of Norfolk, Virginia

VI. Federal Wage Rate Certification

The City of Norfolk certifies that federal wage rates in compliance with all laws
and regulations will be observed in advancing a TIGER program grant funded project for
the Multi-Modal Transportation Center. A copy of Norfolk’s signed certification is at-
tached.

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