DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997           TAG: 9702270443

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   68 lines

AREA LEADERS LOBBY CONGRESS FOR LIGHT RAIL FUNDS

Regional leaders went to Washington Wednesday to lobby for funds for a light rail system between Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

The entourage met with congressional players and appeared before the House transportation appropriations subcommittee to request $5 million for preliminary engineering and environmental impact studies for the first 18 miles of the rail line.

Appeals also must be made to other committees to get the $376 million commuter rail on Congress' five-year list of transit projects that are endorsed for funding. If the project does not get on that list, it will be ineligible for federal money during the five-year period.

``It is a critical time now through March for testimony and communications,'' said Jayne Whitney, TRT program management director.

After Wednesday's meetings, the region's representatives were buoyant.

``We're real pleased,'' said Louisa Strayhorn, Virginia Beach council member and Tidewater Transportation District commissioner. ``From what we've heard, we may have a good chance. I think the committee looked at this favorably because we have the support of the whole region.

``I didn't understand how significant that was until I came up here today.''

While each of the cities and regional organizations endorsed continued light rail study, Virginia Beach's support was at times uncertain because of strained relations with Norfolk over water and other issues.

Virginia Beach's City Council eventually signed off on the project with these conditions: no local money can be spent on light rail until the Lake Gaston pipeline is done and in operation and until Beach voters have a say on the rail and the taxes needed to support it.

South Hampton Roads is competing with other transit projects nationwide for a dwindling pot of money. President Clinton's budget proposal reduces the amount of money for new transit projects from $760 million this year to $634 million next year.

TRT officials hope the $5 million request appears to be a drop in the bucket compared with larger projects from other cities. Next month, a local delegation will be asking for future allocations totaling about $220 million toward light rail construction.

Appearing before the subcommittee were Strayhorn; Randy Wright, Norfolk City Council member and Tidewater Transportation District commissioner; Robert Fentress, transportation commissioner and former vice mayor of Virginia Beach; John Hornbeck, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce chairman; U.S. Reps. Owen B. Pickett and Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott; and TRT officials.

Greg Stillman, chairman of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, testified on behalf of the region. Pickett and Scott also made remarks.

``Based on continued increases forecast for population, employment and tourism, the necessary transportation infrastructure to accommodate this growth is not in place,'' Stillman said.

He said travel along the congested Interstate 264 and Route 44 corridor is expected to grow 87 percent in some sections by 2015. Average vehicle speeds are expected to drop to 8 mph.

``Doing nothing in the corridor to improve mobility and accessibility has serious economic implications for decreased regional competitiveness, thereby resulting in a loss of new business and a decline in job growth,'' Stillman testified.

If the funding request is approved, the detailed light rail study could commence in October, Whitney said. It would take about 18 months. Final design would then take about two years. Construction could begin in early 2001.

``It feels good to come together and do something together,'' Strayhorn said. ``Maybe we can change this around and do the same thing for water.

``This could be a confirmation that regionalism can work when its an issue that affects everybody.'' KEYWORDS: LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM REGIONALISM FEDERAL FUNDING

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