Master Transportation Plan
Issues Confronting Our Transportation System Today
The City of Virginia Beach is often referred to as a typical suburban style community. Low density development dispersed throughout much of the City has helped to promote the car-oriented transportation network that we have today. This development pattern has served the community adequately in the past, but as fuel prices, congestion and concerns for air quality increase, residents, businesses, and visitors are beginning to look for alternatives to driving. Moving people and goods by way of the City’s road and highway network will continue to be the predominate method of travel in the near future, but development of alternative modes is a key component to the future of transportation in Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads.
Transportation System Solutions for the Future
The 2009 Virginia Beach Master Transportation Plan is a comprehensive multi-modal analysis of transportation goals and policies. The Plan builds upon the existing and proposed road network by encouraging greater use of alternative transportation modes such as public transit, cycling, and walking. In addition, this Plan looks at long range policies that will help meet the transportation demands of the future by attempting to minimize the need for costly construction projects, bridges, and right-of-way acquisition.
Utilizing “Intelligent Transportation System” technology, changing commuting behavior and patterns, and focusing on the relationship between land use development and transportation needs are a part of the comprehensive approach to the development of the 2009 Virginia Beach Master Transportation Plan. More