Virginia Beach light rail info effort gets green light

By: Aaron Applegate; PilotOnline.com

9/12/12

The City Council agreed Tuesday to move forward with a city-funded information campaign regarding the November referendum on extending Norfolk’s light-rail system into the city – with a few changes.

The $22,673 effort will include brochures, print ads – including in the Beacon, the community news section for Virginia Beach readers of The Virginian-Pilot – and a poster displayed at the Newtown Road light-rail station.

Draft brochures aim to answer questions about the route and what will happen if the referendum question passes or fails. The poster directs readers to a city website concerning light rail. Both show pictures of The Tide, one with passengers waiting to board.

Councilman John Moss said he was concerned that the written material and pictures of the train present a view biased in favor of light rail. He suggested several changes with which Mayor Will Sessoms agreed.