The latest attempt to address a regional transportation bottleneck began Monday when representatives from a wide range of groups met to discuss potential solutions to take pressure off Free Bridge. “We’re approaching this with a clean slate,” said Sarah Rhodes, a transportation planner with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. Earlier this year, the TJPDC […]
Tag: Eastern Connector
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MPO debates future of Free Bridge, city-county road connections
The group that makes decisions on future transportation planning has eliminated further consideration of the widening of U.S. 250 on Pantops to six lanes between Free Bridge and Interstate 64. “I don’t see a lot of space to widen that road, and regardless of what we do, it’s still going to put all that traffic […]
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Long-range transportation planning continues
More than 40 people braved the rain Wednesday to weigh in on the third round of scenarios presented by transportation planners at the Metropolitan Planning Organization. “The round 3 scenarios are looking at projects that are capacity-building for road and transit to determine those that we want in our preferred scenario,” said Sarah Rhodes, director […]
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Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO explores ‘Multimodal 29’
While debate continues on the design, costs and delays of the Western Bypass of U.S. 29, planners at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization are now including the existing road in the region’s long-range plans. As proponents and opponents of the bypass float ideas to improve the current corridor, the MPO is considering a scenario called […]
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TJPDC to study environmental effects of Eastern Connector
The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission received a $250,000 federal grant to study the ecological effects of the proposed Eastern Connector and establish alternatives. The road has only tenuous support among local elected officials who questioned the grant application earlier this year and pointed out that more $500,000 had been spent studying the road […]
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Eastern Connector – Does it merit more study?
The Eastern Connector is envisioned to connect Route 20 and Rio Road with a road that would cross the Rivanna River on a new bridge and travel near or through Pen Park. In 2008, after a $500,000 study which recommended that alignment, Charlottesville and Albemarle both put the project on hold in part because of […]
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Supervisors question need to spend federal funds on Eastern Connector study
Albemarle County supervisors want the director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission to reconsider using a $250,000 federal grant to study the proposed Eastern Connector. Last week, Stephen Williams told the Metropolitan Planning Organization that, if approved, the Federal Highway Administration grant would pay for a “consensus-building approach” to gauge support for the road. […]
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MPO seeks new study of Eastern Connector
Planning for an Eastern Connector to link Albemarle County’s northern and eastern growth areas has stalled for years, but the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization wants to restart the conversation. Officials first want consultants to evaluate potential obstacles that could undermine public support. “There are particular environmental issues with this project that are so important […]
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MPO considers expanding its boundaries to other localities in region
The Metropolitan Planning Organization’s policy board will consider today whether to expand its boundaries to include Lake Monticello, Ruckersville and other growing communities located outside of Albemarle County. “Important transportation decisions will be made about the highways that connect those areas to Charlottesville via U.S. 29, Virginia Route 53 and U.S. 250,” said Stephen Williams, […]
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City resident seeks alignment for Eastern Connector near Pen Park
When the Charlottesville Planning Commission holds a public hearing tonight on a rezoning for a new 204-home neighborhood called Lochlyn Hill, both short-term and long-term transportation issues will be discussed. City staff are recommending against the project because of immediate traffic impacts on Rio Road. Longer term, city officials will consider whether the site should […]
