First rail laid on HRT light rail line

NORFOLK, Va. - The first rail for the HRT's planned rail line from Newtown Road to downtown Norfolk was laid on Wednesday.

The double-tracked rail is at the Bristol Avenue crossing, just west of Newtown Road. The crossings are the first actual rail sections being installed, according to a statement from the HRT. Weather permitting, the crossing will open on Friday.

Construction is underway on much of the line, including a bridge over the inlet into the Hague and a car barn near the Norfolk State University campus. The project has been beset by changes and cost overruns. The line, originally expected to cost $232 million, is supposed to open in 2010.