A transportation survey commissioned by area business group the Free Enterprise Forum shows that 55% of those polled believe that traffic is a major problem on Rt. 29, 70% support the 29 bypass, and 70% support building the Meadowcreek Parkway. The survey was conducted by Mason-Dixon, a well-known polling firm, and was based on telephone interviews with 625 registered voters in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, and Fluvanna. While these results seem to support the results of an early March survey commissioned by WINA, Councilor Kevin Lynch (who responded to questions about the Meadowcreek Parkway on cvillenews.com in December) has dismissed it as a “push poll,” citing the interests of the business group that funded it. David Dadurka has the story in today’s Progress.
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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
four six 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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This is an issue that’s tough to poll on — it’s one of those "do you want something for nothing?" questions, as Dennis Rooker pointed out. It reminds me of the Republican cop-out in the General Assembly, of turning the budget into a referendum. I haven’t the faintest clue of how you would turn the entire state budget into a referendum, but I can guarantee you that a majority of voters would vote for the lowest possible tax level, while demanding the most possible services. :)
As is often the case, the "loudest" voices in this debate are on the opposite side of the majority opinion.
I’m really sick of this whole thing. Less talk, more paving!
"shows that 55% of those polled believe that traffic is a major problem on Rt. 29"
I would like to hear the reasoning of the 45% who thought traffic on 29 is NOT a major problem. That is, unless the 45% is made up of "I don`t know and "I don`t care", etc., responses (probable).
you know what is interesting is that the number of people wanting it is higher OUTSIDE of Cville and even Albemarle. The funniest and coolest rumor I heard about the bypass was one I heard last week. Instead of starting at Forest Lakes South, the bypass was going to start up in Ruckersville and just GO AROUND the mess that protested it for so long.
“‘Do you think the state should spend $250 million to build a bypass around the only eight-lane section of Route 29 in the state – a route that would go through six neighborhoods, take 41 homes, go near six schools … be built on steep bank of the reservoir and leave the traffic on Route 29 at an F level of service?’”
Yes, because if we don’t build GO BYE 250 million dollars! And it was your fault we have to go through six neighborhoods. SO I am placing blame on your butt.
interesting how 55% think there is a traffic problem but 70% think the bypasses should be built. Why would the 15% who don’t think there is a traffic problem be in favor of the bypasses??
If Mr. Lynch, SELC, City Council, or whoever is going to continually find fault with polling that shows a general lack of public support for one of his most deeply held issues, then I suggest that they commission a poll that they would deem fair and unbiased and report the results. Their whining about the validity of these consistently pro-parkway and pro-bypass polls is disingenous at best, immature at worst, andseems to be ignorant of the will of the majority.
Here are the questions. Perhaps somebody more familiar with the art of the survey can point out how this is a "push poll." I’m not a survey guy, but the questions seem pretty unbiased to me.
QUESTION: Do you consider traffic congestion on U.S. 29 going through Charlottesville to be a major problem, a minor problem, not too much of a problem, or not a problem at all?
QUESTION: How many times per week do you drive on U.S. 29?
QUESTION: Do you sometimes avoid social activities or visiting businesses on Route 29 in Charlottesville due to traffic, or not?
QUESTION: Do you believe a Route 29 Bypass around Charlottesville is needed, or not?
QUESTION: If a Route 29 Bypass around Charlottesville is built, would you prefer to have its alignment go around the west side of town or the east side of town?
QUESTION: Which one of the following locations do you prefer to have a bypass re-connect with U.S. 29 on the north side of Charlottesville: (ORDER ROTATED): South of Airport Road, North of Airport Road & South of the Greene County Line, North of the Greene County Line & South of Ruckersville, North of Ruckersville, Doesn’t Matter (NOT READ), None/Bypass Not Needed (NOT READ), Not Sure (NOT READ)
QUESTION: Are you familiar with the proposed Meadowcreek Parkway?
QUESTION: The proposed Meadowcreek Parkway would run from Rio Road in Albemarle County to the US 250 Bypass and McIntire Road in the City of Charlottesville. Do you support or oppose building the Meadowcreek Parkway?
(IF “SUPPORT” n=364) QUESTION: Do you support building the Meadowcreek Parkway as soon as possible, or do you support waiting until full state funding for the Parkway and Route 250 grade separated interchange may be available?
QUESTION: If state funds are not available, would you support or oppose creating a special tax district to raise local revenue to fund road construction in the Charlottesville area?
QUESTION: Do you consider traffic congestion on U.S. 29 going through Charlottesville to be a major problem, a minor problem, not too much of a problem, or not a problem at all?
Major problem, DUHHHH
QUESTION: How many times per week do you drive on U.S. 29?
Seven days a week
QUESTION: Do you sometimes avoid social activities or visiting businesses on Route 29 in Charlottesville due to traffic, or not?
Nope
QUESTION: Do you believe a Route 29 Bypass around Charlottesville is needed, or not?
Yes
QUESTION: If a Route 29 Bypass around Charlottesville is built, would you prefer to have its alignment go around the west side of town or the east side of town?
West
QUESTION: Which one of the following locations do you prefer to have a bypass re-connect with U.S. 29 on the north side of Charlottesville: (ORDER ROTATED): South of Airport Road, North of Airport Road & South of the Greene County Line, North of the Greene County Line & South of Ruckersville, North of Ruckersville, Doesn’t Matter (NOT READ), None/Bypass Not Needed (NOT READ), Not Sure (NOT READ)
South of Airport Road
QUESTION: Are you familiar with the proposed Meadowcreek Parkway?
Yes
QUESTION: The proposed Meadowcreek Parkway would run from Rio Road in Albemarle County to the US 250 Bypass and McIntire Road in the City of Charlottesville. Do you support or oppose building the Meadowcreek Parkway?
Support
(IF “SUPPORT” n=364) QUESTION: Do you support building the Meadowcreek Parkway as soon as possible, or do you support waiting until full state funding for the Parkway and Route 250 grade separated interchange may be available?
As soon as possible
QUESTION: If state funds are not available, would you support or oppose creating a special tax district to raise local revenue to fund road construction in the Charlottesville area?
No
This poll is a paid for advertisement for these projects. The stated reasons for the projects are built into the poll. It is designed to convince the reader of the necessity of these projects and to generally "get used to the idea."
why don’t they conduct their own non biased poll?
OH YEAH, because it will show a result they don’t want.
silly me
[…] The Daily Progress today continues its series on methods of alternative transportation and growth. There is a good discussion at cvillenews. Anderson estimates that it would cost $10 million to $15 million per mile to build a Charlottesville streetcar. It sounds expensive, she admitted, but added that when the price is compared with the cost of other transportation projects, it’s relatively low. She pointed to the Hillsdale Drive Extension, a one-mile road that will connect Hydraulic Road to Hillsdale at its existing terminus at Greenbrier Drive and cost between $17 million and $27 million. A design study is underway, and a build date has not been set. The Meadowcreek Parkway, running about two miles, is currently estimated to cost at least $50 million if it’s built with a grade-separated interchange at the U.S. 250 Bypass. Some form of mass transit that is fiscally viable and efficient for moving people is a laudable goal. Comparing the streetcar plan to the Meadowcreek Parkway is silly; they are concepts that are targeted for entirely different goals and markets. Continually focusing on the challenges that the City faces serves only to reinforce the myopic view that the City is the only important entity in the region. Many (most) of the people who work in the City cannot afford to live in the City so they have to drive to get to work! If these pieces of the puzzle were being designed with the intent of being implemented as parts of a larger puzzle, they would make more sense. The piece-meal approach is a design ultimately for failure. Good articles, nonetheless. […]