Key Transit Choices
The HRT bus network in Norfolk has been operating since the formation of HRT in 1999 and existed in various forms from its predecessor agencies, Tidewater Regional Transit and before that Virginia Transit Company. Over the decades, Norfolk has changed a great deal and the bus system has been tweaked and adjusted, particularly when The Tide opened in 2011. Yet, the overall purpose and design of the network has not been revisited.
Transit networks are like coral reefs: over time, they naturally grow more complex. That complexity can become frustrating for existing riders and discouraging for new riders. At a certain point, cities like Norfolk and transit agencies like HRT do a “blank slate” plan, to see what would be possible if the network were re-imagined for the people and places of today.
Re-designing a bus network forces us to make some hard choices. In this project, the community will help us make those choices. The Choices Report , published in February 2020, describes in detail the existing performance of the bus network in Norfolk, assesses the markets and needs for transit in Norfolk, and highlights some key choices for you and the city as a whole to consider. If you’d prefer not to read the whole report, you can learn about the key choices and background on this Transit System Redesign in our video series below.