By CJ Headley, Transportation GIS Planner
Recently, I had the opportunity to do some fieldwork in a rural part of our region, one which I have yet to explore. Surry County was the destination for an annual park & ride lot inspection. Trips like these are important because as the region’s transportation planning organization, we are responsible for planning for transportation throughout all of Hampton Roads. Getting out to these areas provides us a valuable opportunity to see first-hand about rural transportation issues.
The drive from the HRTPO office was about an hour and was packed full of some beautiful views along the way. Traveling with another coworker, we inspected a couple park & ride lots, documenting many characteristics related to their condition, use, and taking some pictures as well. The Surry County Municipal Park and Ride lot, which also serves as overflow parking for the County Courthouse, was recently paved (previously being a gravel lot).
Seeing these lots made me reflect on their importance. At first glance, they are normal parking lots in rural areas. However, I was able to imagine how important they are to the locals who may have to use them to access work and other opportunities. In speaking with Surry County staff, it was interesting to learn that many use the Muncipal Lot to carpool and ride the ferry over to the Peninsula to enjoy the Virginia Capital Trail.
After completing our park and ride assessments, we decided to take the Jamestown-Scotland ferry across the James River to the Peninsula. This was my first time taking this ferry and I really enjoyed the ride and the views it offered. Leaving from the Surry County side, there were many homes along the shoreline and lots of birds perched on poles sticking out of the water. The trip itself was a smooth, 20-minute ride across the James River. As we approached the opposite side I could spot the Jamestown Settlement replica ships. The ferry ride provided me an opportunity to reflect on the many different forms of transportation people use to travel across the region. Most people use their cars for their commute (myself included), so it’s good to remember how important a link that a ferry and other modes of transportation can be for someone to be able to work, especially in rural areas such as Surry County where homes and businesses are located much further away from each other. Geography, such as large waterways, can be a barrier to transportation access and can limit economic opportunities. The ferry helps minimize these barriers by providing residents of Surry County opportunities to access jobs, shopping, essential services, and more on the Peninsula. While the ferry is a great example of connectivity, there are other transportation modes within our region that are essential for people to access their day-to-day needs.
I really enjoyed exploring this part of the region. Seeing first-hand how different modes of transportation hold such an important role in people’s lives reaffirmed to me the importance of rural transportation connections.