Expanding our horizons

If nothing else, hopefully this proposed road will broaden the typically myopic Charlottesville/Albemarle discussion of transportation.

From today’s DP

Recently retired Del. Mitchell Van Yahres and two other prominent Charlottesville residents are promoting an environmentally friendly parkway to parallel U.S. 29 to the west.
Ruckersville Parkway, a “very conceptual” idea according to proponent Gary Okerlund, would repurpose parts of Route 606, Earlysville Road and Hydraulic Road to become a 35- to 40-mph, two-lane alternative to hectic U.S. 29 in Albemarle and Greene counties.

Step one (or even step 1a or 1b) really ought to be speaking to those who actually represent Greene. This could be a free road, and if it proposed by outsiders/neighboring legislators, the reaction will be negative.

But one elected body has been left out of the process: the Greene County Board of Supervisors. All five members learned of the plan during public comment at a meeting last week.

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2 Comments

  1. Herb August 17, 2005 at 10:51

    It’s stunning that they didn’t contact Greene about it. It will cause a bad reaction since the problems on Rt 29 are partially caused by Albermarle developing the corridor without making matching transporation plans. Now if Albermarle permitted more housing near Charlottesville, the costs could drop (supply/demand) and more people might choose to live near their jobs…

    However, I suspect the main opposition will be people in Albermarle county who are near the proposed road.

  2. Jim August 17, 2005 at 22:35

    Now if Albermarle permitted more housing near Charlottesville,

    But where? Albemarle is not specifically limiting that sort of development so much as they are trying (albeit relatively unsuccessfully) to focus the growth in specific areas.

    I am just glad that somebody is showing that there is a County beyond Albemarle. I read somewhere that something like 60% of Greene comes to Cville to work. That number may be exaggerated a bit, but still a lot of people drive to CVille/Albemarle.