Local politically-minded fellow (and friend of mine) Rey Barry is taking on Charlottesville and offering solutions to pretty much every problem that you can throw at him. On his site, he has a two-part strengths and weaknesses analysis of Charlottesville and, to some extent, Albemarle County that makes for a very interesting read. If you have any interest in where we’ve come from and where we’re going (which you do, in that you’re reading cvillenews.com), give this a read.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Interesting… I live 100 yards into the county, but still am frustrated to read all of this.
However, I am in support of pro-biking initiatives. The bike lanes are not used because they do not form a complete network. Getting from Barracks road to downtown means negotiatiating dangerous roads before hitting the Preston bike ave.
-JL
The bike lanes also aren’t used because they’re lined with parking spaces, rendering them largely useless. The idea behind biking lanes (in theory) is that they’re an unobstructed parallel lane for the exclusive use of cyclists. And this would be true, if it weren’t for the parking spaces that often line the road beside those bike lanes. This means that cyclists have to be constantly-wary of doors that will swing open, sending them flying.
I was glad when they put in the lanes on West Main, but I quickly realized that they were worthless to me because of this very problem.
Gimme a break! I walk down West Main almost every day and I see bikers who find the bike lanes perfectly useful in spite of the adjacent parking spaces. If the chance of getting “doored” is keeping you from biking I assume you never go outside. After all, you might get hit by a piece of falling sky!
Kevin Cox
Gimme a break! I walk down West Main almost every day and I see bikers who find the bike lanes perfectly useful in spite of the adjacent parking spaces. If the chance of getting “doored” is keeping you from biking I assume you never go outside. After all, you might get hit by a piece of falling sky!
Oh, I disagree — it’s a frequent and quite-painful problem. Though I’ve had a number of close encounters, I’ve never been hit. I have plenty of friends who have. There are many roads where this is not a problem, but West Main Street is particularly bad, because it is lined with stores that people frequently go in and out of, meaning that there’s a great deal of short-term visitors, and therefore a lot of people getting in and out of their cars. If you look, you will see that the bike lanes line up perfectly with where a door lies upon opening. There’s no warning when a door opens (not like when a car stops, in which case you have brake lights or something.) People don’t check before they open a door, not when the streets are as wide as West Main. There’s simply no warning, and it requires a bicyclist to fling themselves left, out into traffic, and take their chances with whatever vehicle is to their left. Because car doors are not known for being forgiving obstacles.
Bike lanes are not fundamentally without value if they’re lined with parking, but they are worthless to me if they are. I end up simply riding in the street to avoid the problem. Parnoid? Perhaps. Without injury? Yup. So I figure it’s working out for me. :)