Big_Al writes: The Senate Transportation Committee passed a bill calling on the state to build a 29 bypass around Charlottesville “as soon as practicable.” County Board vice-chairman Dennis Rooker remarked “There is no precedent for this kind of punitive legislation against localities,” while city councillor Blake Caravati commented “we believe that if this is kept local, it can be solved locally.” The Progress has the article.
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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Cool.
So the entire state is gettin freakin’ tired of waiting for our City Council and their Albemarle counterparts to pull their collective thumb out of their collective ass and do something about the traffic situation here. (With apologies to those councillors who *have* tried to do something other than stonewall.)
I find myself amused and pleased.
I also find myself without any sympathy for Caravati’s and Rooker’s position, since they have had MORE THAN ENOUGH time to handle it locally, and haven’t done squat.
Now the only question is if this bill can actually be passed, and actually be effective if it is. Hopefully it’ll be enough to overcome the likes of Caravati and Rooker.
HOOray for the state,
I always thought that the leaders in this area had the attitude that we are the center of the universe. And they appoarch problems like traffic with a "it is their fault we have this traffic".
I am glad the state is FINALLY saying "Okay Chablemarle , we are just going to build it because it EFFECTS everyone else in the state and not you.".
Have there been any studies about the impact of the bypass on the local economy? I am assuming that the bypass would make it less likely for anyone passing though to do commerce in Charlottesville, particularly the northern end.
well if I was traveling from DC to Greenville, I wouldn’t be stopping to shop in Cville. I think this bypass will get rid of cars who DON"T belong in 29n.
Dennis Rooker remarked "There is no precedent for this kind of punitive legislation against localities,"
Well Dennis Rooker, I don`t know if that is true or not (and I doubt if your comment has the strength of an exhaustive study of precedents either).
What I do know is there are good and bad precedents and if this one gains the result of "doing something" about local (state) traffic then it is a "lalapaloozer" as far as I`m concerned.
Need I say the failure of local politicians to act is the genesis of this precedent , which, I suppose ,makes the local Boards and Councils "precedent setters" in an odd way.
Build it, bypass the livin` hell out of things!
I tend to agree with the state of this issue. It is not acceptable in this day and age that a county may hold hostage people trying to get from one point to another. It is really not pertinent to ask about the impact on the businesses on corridor 29, because they have either directly or wishfully promoted and foisted this absurd, anachronistic and intolerable situation upon everyone. In other words: tough luck.
This is great news. Charlottesville has played the delay game for all its worth. Given the open opposition to the bypass by local government I can only assume that the local voters were happy with things the way they were (are).
Now, the state will decide and do what should have happened many years ago. Charlottesville, I love you but you are not the beating heart of Virginia. Let the Bypass roll on…
Well according to the Regress, the bill has advanced. Which it looks like it is getting steam. You know it is funny how this whole year is shaping out. First they approve the Hollymead Town Center. And now it looks like the bypass might pass. If memory serves me right, the bypass will go from South Forest Lakes to where 29 meets 64 near Ivy. So okay, first HTC which is WAYYYYYY out there for the Cville Elite. And now you have a connector from the downtown missing all of business 29 coming out to where the HTC is at. Hummm, I think there is something fishy going on.
Isn’t it county land that’s involved? Maybe I’m misremembering, but I thought it was the county that was really working hard to keep it from happening.
If memory serves me right county wants the Meadowcreek Parkway, the city wants the bypass. And that is why we have the state passing this bill. HUMMM?
That is probably the biggest reason the by-pass has NOT been built. C-ville/Albemarle co. is so afraid they might lose a nickel if the by-pass is built. They want all of the traffic to come right through the most conjested area of the county, to make it almost mandatory to have to stop for at least gas or a cheeseburger!!