The North Grounds Connector — UVa’s very own exit off the 29 Bypass — is scheduled to open today, Melanie Mayhew writes in today’s Progress. The little road cost $4.1M, and was primarily built to serve as the entrance for the new John Paul Jones Arena. I intend to take the exit just for fun next time I’m on that chunk of 250. Whee!
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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That’s totally awesome. Thanks for posting that link.
Great road. I drove it today just for kicks and giggles with clients – we all agreed. Great road.
wow i am shock. I didn’t see any protestors when this was being considered? Didn’t UVa know that this will not decrease traffic to the new arena? I have studies that can prove that. Didn’t they know that we should encourage more people to ride their bikes to work?
IamDaMan3…. the North Grounds Connector is set back in the war against the car in the city. Im sure they have more from their traffic policy from hell to get things a little bit slower some where else around town. Maybe they will demand a butterfly interchange, a golden overpass, and a man that can walk on water before they proceed with their portion of the Meadowcreek Parkway.
Why in the world would anyone complain about this road? It didn’t cost you a dime, it was paid for by donation given to UVA. This is a good new road. It will take traffic from UVA events and put them on a road better able to handle the traffic. Since VDOT didn’t construct this road it was built five months ahead of schedules. VDOT was involved in the process but did not control it.
More people will not ride there bikes to work. We have more lanes than ever and no more bikers as a percentage of population. Please run a canidate for office that has biking to work as a major plank.
Please run a canidate for office that has biking to work as a major plank.
Dave Norris is your man. :)
For the last three years I have walked from Old Ivy Road to Massie to the North Grounds rec center usually several times a week, and when I first saw a route map for the NG Connector I couldn’t believe it: how did they propose to get a road through that narrow, wooded canyon? Little did I know what backhoes and earth movers can do. They cleared out most of the trees in a couple of days last year and then set about terraforming.
I’m not usually a fan of development but I have to say they did a beautiful job. They added landscaping, paths, and ornamental lights that go beyond mere functionality. The road has a kind of retro feel to it, too–sort of like the Pasadena Freeway in L.A. (first one ever built).
And the first limited access road was a tollway on Long Island, NY, I think. The NY’er mag had a long article on it back when they had long articles. You can still walk on parts of it, drive on other parts.
As for the North Grounds Connector Road (four full words), I weep for the trees and creek and small bleating critters. It should have been built on pylons like in Switzerland. How’s the Rivanna Trail there now? It parallels the inside of the Bypass from Ivy Road to Barracks Road, goes by an old dam.
I’m going to echo a point that Jim Duncan made on his blog:
Government money was not involved with this project and it was completed five months early.
If VDOT had been involved with this project it probably would’ve taken 3 times as long, and cost 4 times as much.
lol, i am just joking about the whole road comment. But yeah, VDOT are crooks.
I have one complaint on the new north grounds connector. Although it has a well-markde crosswalk for the Rivanna Trail, I cannot figure out where the Trail actually connects to the well-marked crosswalk. The crosswalk ends in a fifty foot mound of dirt on either side of the connector.