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January 31,
<br />
<br />Norfolk at or near the Old Dominion Docks (now owned by Norfolk), and then down in an oval,
<br />taking amd discharging traffic at or near Union street and Commercial Place. A tap could
<br />be easily made into Berkley which would then serve the three cities.
<br />
<br />Advantages:--
<br />
<br /> (t) The entrence and exit to the bridge would be on both sides Of the River within one
<br />block ef our present entrance and exit to the Ferries. All business values in both Norfolk
<br />and Portsmouth have had their origin ~t the Ferries. This arrengement would not disturb
<br />the business values of ~ither City.
<br />
<br /> (2) As the bridge and Ferries under this plan wouldbegin within one block of each other,
<br />the necessity for the Ferries would not exist and the operation of the Ferries could be dis-
<br />continued smd all of that operating expense could be saved.
<br />
<br /> (3) No visitor could go into or come from Norfolk without travelling the whole length
<br />of Portsmouth's main business street.
<br />
<br /> (4) The ease with which communication could be made betweenr, the two cities (about 2 1/4
<br />miles, ramps and all, and about 5 or 6 minutes run) would tend to build up th~valUSs of both
<br />communities.
<br />
<br /> (5) I do not believe the Ferries will, on account of docking facilities, be able to cope
<br />with business coming this way, because of the James River Bridge.
<br />
<br /> I recognize and appreciate the fact that Norfolk Oounty and the City of Portsmouth
<br />are ~bint owners of the present ferry. ~appreciate the fact that our interests are inseparable,
<br />are one and the same, and conservation O£ the one will conse~,v~ a~d protect the other. I am
<br />interested in looking s~fter the interests of Portsmouth and as_Norfolk County's and Portsmodth's
<br />are inseparable, I am, therefore, interested in Norfolk County's interest. Norfolk County is
<br />interested in getting people, by the ferries, to and from the County~at, and in addition to
<br />that she is interested in her revenmes from the Ferry. Our interest alon~ those lines are
<br />iden~iCst, mutual, interdependent, and should be mutually protected, and I pledge m~self so
<br />to do. Portsmouth's future expansion, future growth, and future business is dependent upon
<br />a more modern, faster, and more adequate trsnsportation facility between it and its sister city.
<br />
<br /> I believe a plan can be worked out whereby the City of Portsmouth and the 0ounty of
<br />NorfOlk will be paid annually a sum equivalent to its present'annual revenue from the ferries.
<br />I believe there will be sufficient revenue from the o~eration of the Bridge from the day it
<br />would be opened (it would take 2~ to 3 years to build~ to pay interest on all bonds, to pay
<br />the ~ual sum to Portsmouth and Norfolk County, to pay the sinking fund based on a 30 year
<br />retirement, and to pay all other operating end maintenance expense. I believe i~ a few years
<br />at the present ferry fare that a substantial sum would be annually divided between the three
<br />communities.
<br />
<br /> I do not:~elisve, if we continue to operate the Ferry and pass up the Bridge Project,
<br />that our revenues will continue to be as much as they are today for the following three reasons:
<br />
<br /> (1) I believe the Cradock-South Norfolk Bridge will take quite a bit of revenue
<br />from the Ferry and will keep those strangers who use it from ever entering Portsmouth.
<br />
<br /> (2) The building of a new ferry boat, rebuilding, and necessary dock repairs, will
<br />increas~our expenses and overhead, and thereby materially cutting our profits.
<br />
<br /> (3) I do not believe on account of dock facilities and hsmbor traffic, ~at we can
<br />materially increase our revenue.
<br />
<br /> ! believe the Bridge to be for the best interes~ of the Oommunity of Hampton Roads.
<br />I believe any wrinkles or misunderstandings between the three communities can be ironed out to
<br />ou~ mutual advantage after we have obtained Legislative sanction. Let us therefore petition
<br />the Legislature to enable the three communities to build the bridge if and when the three can
<br />get ~ogether. This surely will not commit any of the communities. Let the bill be so worded
<br />that each o£ the oommur~ities shall feel that it is properly protected. If the present instru-
<br />ment does not a~ford each of us such protection, let us have a bill drawn that will, and then
<br />jointly present it to the Legislature as a community instrument, for a community project and
<br />for the advancement of the great Hamoton Roads Community, which we are now trying to sell to
<br />the State." -
<br />
<br />(Present Mr. Stewart)
<br />
<br /> Mr. Mayo moved that the Bill presented be laid on the table. The motion was adopted.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Stewart moved to instruct our Bridge Committee tO take up With full Committee,
<br />the preparation of an Act to enable the t~ee communities to build a bridge between Norfolk
<br />and Portsmouth.
<br />
<br /> Then the City Attorney read the following enabling Act, which had been drawn by him:
<br />
<br /> An Act to ~uthorize the City of Portsmo~h, the City of Norfolk, and the County of Nor-
<br />folk to construct a bridge or bridges, a tunnel or tunnels, or both, across or under the Eliza-
<br />beth ,~iver, to ~snter into contracts for and concerning the construction, operation and mainte-
<br />nance of said bridge, bridges, tunnel or tunnels; to. authorize said ~ities and[county to issue
<br />bonds to pay for the construction thereof; to Drovid~ for the operation and maintenance thereof;
<br />and to authorize the City of Norfolk to compensate the City of Portsmouth and the County of
<br />Norfolk for their interest in the Norfolk County F '
<br />
<br /> 1. Be it enacted by the ~eneral A~sembly of Virginia, That the Oity of Portsmouth, the
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