Charlottesville Tomorrow points out that the 250 Interchange Steering Committee has just met for the fourth time as they work on figuring out how the 250 / Meadowcreek Parkway intersection will look. They’ve got thirteen designs to choose from, ranging from a straightforward stoplight-based intersection all the way up to a pair of roundabouts, and there’s even a whole website about the project where you can find out more. Think you know how the interchange should work? Tell them.
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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Simply putting in a full stoplight at that intersection would be a disaster. The whole (dubious, IMO) point of that road is to improve traffic flow in Charlottesville. Putting in a 4-way stoplight would immediately make things worse than they are now.
The option of just extending McIntire Rd into the future Meadowcreek Parkway, at-grade with the existing traffic light, is referred to by the committee as the “No Build – Signalized Intersection option” (i.e. no new grade-separated interchange would be built). The committee sees their charge as recommending a design for the grade-separated interchange, but they have asked that a no-build option be on the table so the public can see the alternative.
Brian Wheeler, Charlottesville Tomorrow
Whatever they build needs to be a lot better than the interchange at Park/ 250 and it appears from the photos that it should be. That interchange is terrible at peak hours and traffic from that area typically backs up to Melbourne and sometimes back to Stonehenge/ Village Square. Another improvement to this corridor should be widening Ridge so its 4 lanes from Rio (via the parkway) all the way down 5th St.
Although I think it may be asking a bit much, I still think the county needs to get extending the parkway further North to Profit (?) on the priority list. 29 cannot continue to be the only major North/South corridor (aside from Rt. 20 if you consider that major).