Several BoS members and the head of the Chamber of Commerce are opposing the planned grade-separated interchanges on 29, Sean Tubbs writes for Charlottesville Tomorrow. There’s a five-year-old plan to improve traffic flow on 29 by having some intersections (Rio and Hydraulic, in particular) go under the highway, which is the only viable system that’s more efficient than traffic lights. The three most conservative members of the Board of Supervisors don’t like it, and neither does Timothy Hulbert. (This is why Lynchburg hates us.)
But none of this much matters anyway, because there’s no money for transportation, and no prospect of any money for years. Governor McDonnell’s plan for funding roads is to pay for them with income that will mystically come from allowing oil companies to drill off the coast of Virginia. Let’s not hold our breath waiting for that.
Here’s my issue… I think that the planning for 29 (Places 29) has gotten very little attention, while we seem completely willing to expend resources on band-aid solutions like the Meadowcreek Parkway.
It’s clear that few people are being open about their real agenda here (on either side). The conservatives and busness people opposed to 29 becoming an “expressway” (in my dreams…) obviously don’t want traffic to flow down 29, and yet they are fighting just as hard for the Meadowcreek parkway, which they claim will make it easier to get up and down 29. Hmm… Could it be that the real agenda has nothing to do with traffic at all? Maybe some people just want to bring people to their busnesses and then traph them in that area as long as possible so they are more likely to shop?
As you look around at the mess on 29, you now have names to associate with exactly why it is that way. Having lived here my whole life, I can tell you that the mess on 29 is by design and that’s perhaps the most confounding aspect of it all. As for funding, in the past we had the funding for overpasses and opted for additional lanes (which did little to nothing).
There were a lot of people against this sort of thing back in my hometown… until they did it and it worked wonders for the traffic flow. The interesting thing is that the businesses nearby actually did better as a result because more people were willing to travel the road with the improved traffic flow.
It is sad to say our local elected “leaders” lack the will to take on great projects to actual help the majority of the people. Just think back to 1950 if the local leaders didn’t have the will power to build the 250 By Pass, all that traffic will be going down what is the Downtown mall and West Main St.
It is time for the elected “leaders” to put an end to this mess and do the right thing. Seminole trail needs to be converted to a limited access highway from I-64 to the Madison County line. Sad to say, Greene seems to be follow the Albemarle County pattern. The bypass is dead now as it would’t extend far enough around the northern development.
Do your job and lets fix this mess and don’t worry about how many businesses you will need to tear down to build the interchanges.
The rumor I’d always heard was that there was/is an agreement not to build a western bypass until Meadowcreek parkway is built (and presumably fails to magically solve all problems with traffic on 29N). Maybe this is an overt agreement, or perhaps its just a “gentlemen’s understanding”? I’ve always assumed based on hearing about it that Albemarle County is pushing the Meadowcreek Pkwy not because its going to solve our traffic problems, but rather because it isnt, which will allow them to build the western bypass. Maybe thats why those in the know don’t want to spend money upgrading interchanges on 29N? They know that a good deal of that traffic will eventually wind up elsewhere.
For a history of the “Three Party Agreement” that **** is referring to, visit cvillepedia’s entry on the topic.
I love Rodney Thomas’ assertion that Rt. 29N should be converted to a 35 mph road to solve the problem.
Grade separated interchanges are the only reasonable solution. Anyone opposing this- ought to be considered insane.
I know we cannot change what should have been done 30 years ago, but they should have done this 30 years ago. Grade separated interchanges should be built immediately! Look on Monday. Get to work…
I meant “Like on Monday”! Get to work on this right now. Before it costs more!
I’m with Lonnie on this one: the mess on 29 is by design and it’s brought to you by Carter Myers and the “29 North Business Group” or whatever his lobbying front was. They have fought ever single effort to alter 29N, except for increasing traffic lights and left-hand turn signals.
The GSEs are exactly what we need, short of an expressway, and would harm the “conservative” interests by allowing people to bypass the strip-mall sprawl and by likely condemning a chunk of their existing real estate for public use. Their interests are neither “conservative” nor are GSEs “liberal” – it’s simply their interest in protecting their financial bottom line.
I agree with Scott. Rt 29 is the Jersey-fication of our area. The effort has been to shove everything up 29 and keep the west and south of town from having any.