HRT Welcomes Public Audit of Light Rail

NORFOLK, Va. – Hampton Roads Transit welcomed on Wednesday the call for a public audit of the light rail project as a significant step toward ensuring accountability of The Tide’s management and oversight.

“We thank Delegate Miller and her co-sponsors for legislative leadership on this and appreciate her on-going concern for the financial integrity of this project,” said James Toscano, vice president of public affairs and communications at HRT.

“We believe an audit is critical to a full understanding of the light rail project cost problems and will serve as a means of restoring public confidence,” he said. “We need both if light rail is to be successfully extended to other communities.”

Virginia General Assembly Delegate Paula Miller, D-Norfolk, on Wednesday called on the auditor of public accounts to conduct an audit of The Tide after it was revealed that the project had gone over budget.

As of today, Norfolk delegates Algie Howell, Kenneth Alexander and Lynwood Lewis, and Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, are co-sponsors of HJ151.