Safety first for The Tide
By: Ava Hurdle
NORFOLK, Va. – Following Monday’s metro collision in Washington, officials working on the Hampton Roads new light rail say they continue to make safety a priority.
The $288 million system by Hampton Roads Transit will take commuters between 11 stations, on a seven-mile route, from Eastern Virginia Medical School to the Norfolk-Virginia Beach city line at Newtown Road. It is slated to begin in late 2010.
On Wednesday, HRT pointed out that the metro in D.C. is what they call heavy rail in the industry, unlike the system now under construction in Norfolk. HRT’s Vice President of Public Affairs and Communication, James Toscano, told WAVY.com that unlike D.C., which used old cars, Norfolk will have nine high tech new ones.
“Our vehicles are light rail vehicles different from heavy rail vehicles that are in Washington. They are brand new, state of the art vehicles, that actually have technology that will prevent an accident like one car climbing on top of another car, which is the case in Washington,” Toscano said.
Norfolk’s light rail is still months away from completion. Toscano says the Tide’s power will come from overhead electrical wires which is considered much safer. An onboard conductor will control the vehicle’s speed and braking system.
“It’s very strict in terms of what’s required to be a light rail operator. You have to go through extensive safety training to obviously operate light rail in an environment where you’re also going to encounter vehicles and pedestrians in downtown Norfolk,” Toscano added.
Toscano says vehicles can reach up to 55 miles-per-hour. Security cameras and other safety features, which will include automated gates and flashers at intersections, are also proposed.
“The lesson is always that safety is always first. It’s a common business practice here at HRT. Safety is our first priority. It’s going to be true for the light rail system. It’s true for the bus system we operate today,” Toscano said.
Toscano says HRT has to meet strict local, state and federal transportation regulations.
The transit agency plans to roll out a public safety awareness program six months before The Tide begins operating.