out that area for local traffic. I support enhanced transit in planners support to something that the public will support.
that area to try to take vehicle trips off of 29. That might mean a ballot referendum to properly measure
The next Board of Eventually I think we will need a grade separated inter-
public support. In these trying economic times I can’t imag-
change at Route 29 and Hydraulic Road. The traffic studies
ine burdening Albemarle taxpayers with such a costly project
Supervisors will
that have been done over the years in the 29 corridor indi-
without greater public support for Places29.
cate that through traffic is around 10 percent of the total
traffic. A lot of people think that there is a huge volume of
review the Places29
through-truck traffic, but that's not really shown by the traffic SAMUEL MILLER DISTRICT
statistics at all….
Madison Cummings (D)
Master Plan. What
[O]ne of the designs of Places29 is to plan transportation
RIO DISTRICT
as we are planning land use and development. Therefore as
do you think are the
David Slutzky (D)
developments are made, roads should accommodate them,
Incumbent
especially parallel roads like Berkmar to get traffic off
[Route] 29 and that's one of the parts of the plan.
I think there are two fundamental issues there that I am go-
key ingredients that
ing to be paying attention to….Number one is…this parallel
The problem with transportation funding [is it] may slow
road to 29, Berkmar Road Extended, with the bridge as a
down development, but when it picks up we should have
major element of that road….It is the critical link where we
commercial, recreational, jobs near the residential area so
need to be in that
are merging transportation planning and land use planning.
that communities are walkable and bikeable. Enhanced
If we do not come forward with a Places29 plan that realisti-
public transit should also be part of that plan in an attempt
cally could get that road built, then I think the whole exercise
to reduce the local trips and enhance the safety obviously,
plan to gain your
has been folly and a lot of smoke and mirrors. And I have
and [lessen] the congested flow of traffic particularly on 29.
some concern that that’s where we are.
We should use whatever makes an alternative means of trav-
el we can employ.
support?
For example the bridge [over the South Fork Rivanna] is the
most important element of that parallel road, that is the
So I think that that’s a good plan, it is going to be expensive
most important element of the transportation scheme for
and I am sure it will be revamped 30 times before the deci-
that master plan. The land right by the bridge is currently in
sions are made but we are not exactly designing the air-
JACK JOUETT DISTRICT
the rural area….And if we were to allow for more intensive
plane while we are flying it, but I think that there is a signifi-
development in that location, than the Places29 Plan cur-
cant opposition in the community, for whatever reason, but I
Dennis Rooker (I)
rently calls for, we would likely be able to get private monies,
believe it’s going to go forward….
Incumbent
proffer monies, that would fund the lion’s share of complet-
I have supported and participated in master planning of the
ing that parallel road and probably a major contribution to-
John Lowry (I)
County growth areas including the current Places29 plan
wards the bridge. If we don’t have that swath of land any-
which emphasized integration of land use and transportation
thing other than rural area and neighborhood service use,
Places29 is one of four growth areas and each of these
planning. I think our community is at the forefront of what is
we don’t realistically have a way of funding that parallel
growth areas by virtue of the County’s thoughtful forward
starting to be required throughout the state, and that is to
road….
thinking has a master plan associated with it and [they are]
seriously integrate land use planning with transportation
The other piece of this is the issue in Places29, which has
periodically reviewed. Places29 is the one that’s currently up
planning in recognition of the fact that we don’t have the
actually shown up in each of the other master plans that we
for review. It’s based on the neighborhood model, the neigh-
funds to build our way out of the transportation problems we
have done. There is a lot of anticipated infrastructure that
borhood model [in] our comprehensive plan, the master,
have. And so we need to plan and build smarter in ways that
each of these master plans imply when they are com-
master document says that we should have neighborhoods
put less of a strain on the existing transportation infrastruc-
plete….It’s been estimated conservatively by some that it
in our growth area, a balance of different services and busi-
ture. The County’s neighborhood model provides for mixed
might take upwards of half a billion dollars to fund all of the
nesses and living places and transportation through those
use, pedestrian friendly development with interconnected
infrastructure that’s reflected in this plan. Now admittedly it’s
different growth areas.
streets and that concept needs to be embodied in the
a long term plan and nobody is expecting all that infrastruc-
So what I would need [in order] to have my support is hav-
Places29 [plan], and from what I have seen so far it has
ture to be built next Thursday. But if the plan itself doesn’t
ing the balance of interests properly mixed together.
been embodied in Places29.
address the question of how would we fund that infrastruc-
[Places29] is not in the Samuel Miller District, but it is part
I support certain priorities in the 29 corridor which include
ture, then again I think that the exercise is a bit of folly….
of the County, so it is very significant. I would offer a couple
adding [a southbound] lane on 29 from Hydraulic Road to
of specific suggestions to move the discussion on--Places29
the Route 250 bypass with an additional ramp [lane] at Rodney Thomas (R)
is a lot of good planning, but the next step is funding....We
Best Buy and an extended taper lane [onto the Route 250 Challenger
could consider, if the state does not fulfill its traditional
bypass]. All the traffic studies indicate that that is probably
funding role having a CDA which is a Community
the single most important improvement at the biggest traffic
As I have gone door to door in the Rio District I have asked Development Authority or we could have a service district.
choke point in the area to move that traffic freely down 29
the people of Rio what they know about Places29. What I The service district would be unique to the Places29 area.
and up onto the 250 Bypass. I support the completion of
have found out is that people know very little about it and
Within that context, then there could be a funding mecha-
the Hillsdale Connector which I alluded to earlier, which
those that have heard of it are concerned about committing
nism and this is a long-term solution, but I think we need to
would take 8,000 - 10,000 vehicle trips a day off of 29 in
to a project that will cost between $300 and $500 million
take the agenda on from just planning to reality.
the most congested area. I support the widening of 29 from
dollars. Even with all the workshops and meetings the
Polo Grounds Road to Hollymead to eliminate the “hour- County has already had about Places29, I have found very
glass” and to improve safety and capacity in that area and I little public support for the project. I think that for Places29
support the completion of additional parallel roads through- to go forward it will have to change from something that
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