Cville Tomorrow News

Emotions run high on bypass' revival

6/26/2011 * The Daily Progress [full story]

Albemarle County resident Bill Arrington is furious that the Board of Supervisors has revived the controversial U.S. 29 Western Bypass.

“It’s plain-old crazy,” said Arrington, who lives in the path of the proposed road. “It’s a bunch of supposedly civilized, wise and smart individuals acting crazy.”

The bypass’ proposed route runs through an area where nine houses sit in the Squirrel Ridge subdivision where Arrington lives, though his house is safe. Arrington said he wondered why the bypass was back on the county’s radar.

 

Fate of $30M spent on right-of-way debated

6/26/2011 * The Daily Progress [full story]

State and local officials disagree over whether nearly $30 million used to purchase right-of-way for the proposed U.S. 29 Western Bypass would have to be repaid to the federal government if the road is never built.

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton has raised the issue of Federal Highway Administration funding in making the case for moving forward on the bypass project, but it remains unclear whether the Virginia Department of Transportation would have to give the money back if the project is delayed past a 20-year deadline.

In a June 21 email to Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, Connaughton laid out two reasons for completing the bypass: improving traffic congestion on U.S. 29 and preventing VDOT from having to repay the FHWA.

'Reasonable assurance' given for bypass funding

6/25/2011 * The Daily Progress [full story]

The Virginia Department of Transportation moved one step closer Friday toward implementing its plan to build the Western Bypass of U.S. 29, sending a formal letter to local officials offering a “reasonable assurance” of full funding for the road.

“It is VDOT’s intent to request a full funding commitment for implementation of this project through the Six-Year Improvement Program at the July Commonwealth Transportation Board meeting,” VDOT Commissioner Gregory A. Whirley wrote in a letter dated Friday.

Albemarle County Supervisor Rodney S. Thomas, a bypass supporter, said the letter means that “everything is in motion” on the $250 million to $300 million project to build a 6.1-mile road to reroute traffic off 29.

New digs: CFA Inst. taking over old Martha Jeff

6/23/11 * The Hook [full story]

The old campus of Martha Jefferson Hospital is getting a new owner that plans to turn the hospital into a job-producing machine-- and in the process make the place the first local example of another machine, one that skewers sewer bills and processes waste nearly naturally.

An international financial organization already headquartered in the greater Charlottesville area, the lead tenant is the CFA Institute, a non-profit company that oversees America's financial professionals. And that has state and city governments joyously handing out incentives. If it all works, everyone gets richer (except perhaps Albemarle County, which is the current home to the company).

City officials, especially, are relieved the soon-to-be-vacant hospital-- Martha Jeff moves this August-- won't become another empty and derelict structure like DeJarnette Sanitorium in Staunton. There's talk of high-paying jobs.

Democrat City Council hopefuls back up to 6

6/23/11 * The Daily Progress [full story]

University of Virginia media-relations writer Brevy Cannon publicly announced his candidacy for Charlottesville City Council Wednesday, launching his campaign as a “pragmatic progressive Democrat.”

The 36-year-old has worked in the UVa Media Relations office for the last five years. Cannon said his job involves taking big ideas from faculty and visitors, and distilling them down into pragmatic concepts.

“That requires carefully studying complicated issues, digging into details, listening to a wide diversity of people, asking incisive questions and getting to the heart of the matter at hand, all valuable skills I would bring to City Council,” Cannon said during a speech to about 75 people on the Downtown Mall.

Panel OKs cell phone towers along Route 20

6/22/11 * The Daily Progress [full story]

The Albemarle County Planning Commission on Tuesday approved the installation of three AT&T monopole cell phone towers along Route 20 between Charlottesville and Scottsville. The towers will go up on the Glendower/Schmidt property near the intersection of Riding Club Road and Route 20, on the property of the St. George Catholic Church and on the campus of Scottsville Elementary School.

The tower at Scottsville Elementary was not recommended for approval by planning staff because it is visible from Route 20 and within 200 feet of the scenic byway.

Toscano assured other local projects won't be raided for bypass funds

6/22/11* The Daily Progress [full story]

State officials offered assurances Tuesday that the proposed Western Bypass of U.S. 29 would not be funded with money transferred from other projects in Central Virginia, but local leaders said the source of funding is still far from clear.

In an email exchange obtained by The Daily Progress, Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, asked Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton for an assurance that the money will not come from other local projects such as the extensions of Berkmar and Hillsdale drives and the replacement of the city’s Belmont Bridge.

“I can assure you it will not,” Connaughton replied.

Will city use Western Bypass to get Hillsdale, Belmont Bridge funds?

6/21/11 * Cville Weekly [full story]

On June 8, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors recommended that the local Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) remove language that bars funding for the Western Bypass—a 6.2-mile, $200-million-plus road project that has been largely untouched (but not undiscussed) since 2002. Much to the shock and chagrin of fellow supervisors Ann Mallek and Dennis Rooker, Scottsville supervisor Lindsay Dorrier changed a previous vote and tipped the board to a 4-2 decision after the state transportation secretary, Sean Connaughton, promised that Virginia would fully fund the bypass.

Charlottesville also has reps on the MPO and a say in the matter, which City Council will discuss tonight before the MPO takes it up in late July. And while they're at it, councilors might consider leveraging Western Bypass talks to direct state funds to a few other transportation projects.

CFA's new home causes cheerfulness

6/21/11 * The Daily Progress [full story]

Announcement that CFA Institute will renovate and occupy the old Martha Jefferson Hospital is welcome news indeed — more significant, in fact, than most of us could have realized.

From the immediate neighborhood to the greater city-county community, it was always of keen interest what organization might take up residence in the space.

Martha Jefferson has been a centerpiece of care and commerce at its Charlottesville location, having attracted associated businesses such as physicians’ offices and pharmacies. The hospital’s decision to move and build on a larger campus in Albemarle County was viewed as a bit of a setback to the city economy.

Council says no Western Bypass

6/21/11 * The Daily Progress [full story]

The Charlottesville City Council voted Monday night to oppose the Western Bypass of U.S. 29, with some members strongly criticizing the manner in which Albemarle County has revived the project.

“Even if I thought this was a good idea, I certainly feel like it’s being rammed down our region’s throat in a strange way,” said Councilor Kristin Szakos.

Councilors expressed concern that the $250 million-$300 million project would draw funds away from other local priorities, including Hillsdale Drive Extended and the replacement of the Belmont Bridge.