Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) in Hampton, VA, reported that opening-day ridership on The Tide light rail system in Norfolk shattered expectations: more than 30,000 customers boarded the trains on Aug. 19. Crowds began gathering at Tide stations before service began at 6 a.m. and long lines remained throughout the day.

“What a terrific start to light rail in Virginia,” said HRT President and Chief Executive Officer Philip Shucet. “I could not be prouder of the men and women who worked so hard and for so long to bring this project to completion. I know the entire region appreciates the wonderful effort that brought light rail to Norfolk.”

Trains ran at capacity for much of the day and into the evening; HRT began the day with six trains in service, adding two more as demand intensified. The agency also brought in buses to provide special connections for people who could not wait long in line or could not find seats on the train.

Platforms remained full because of numerous events on the light rail route, such as an evening baseball game at Harbor Park and special deals at businesses celebrating the introduction of service. The Tide operated free throughout the weekend, providing more than 75,000 rides, with revenue service beginning Aug. 22.

The day before the beginning of service, Therese McMillan, deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, addressed a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at MacArthur Square Station.

“As residents in Norfolk and the Hampton Roads region will soon discover, when light rail comes to town, wonderful things happen,” McMillan said. “Property values rise. New housing, retail, and business opportunities spring up in neighborhoods served by new transit route.”

Also at the ceremony, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim said that The Tide has long been envisioned as the first leg of a regional rail transit system offering congestion relief and mobility options for thousands of local residents.

The line extends from the Eastern Virginia Medical Center complex through downtown, east to the Norfolk-Virginia Beach border at Newtown Road. Eighteen bus routes will provide service to six of the 11 Tide stations. HRT estimates average weekday ridership of about 2,900.

Photo by Tom Holden, HRT Opening-day crowds for The Tide pack the platform at Newtown Road Station.

 

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